Maple Tree Problem

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Hi all,

I bought a Japanese Maple earlier this year (early summer) and am experiencing some sort of a problem, possibly some form of dieback. I am not sure what the age of the tree is, but I do know it is in a 25 gallon pot and cost about $330 from Home Depot.

I still have not planted this tree yet because I had read that you should wait until fall to plant these trees in my area due to high summer heat. I live in Alexandria, VA (hardiness zone 7b).

The problem I'm having is that the branches (and subsequently, the leaves) seem to be dying from the tips of the branches inward. The affected branches also may be turning a darker color, but since this is my first time owning this tree I'm not sure if this is a normal branch color or if this is also part of the problem. The color they are turning is maybe purple or brown, I am a bit colorblind but that's what my wife says.

There are also some signs of leaf scorch but I'm not sure if this is related, and if it is due to underwatering or sun/heat exposure. I have maybe not been as judicious as I should have been with a watering schedule, but I had also read that these trees are susceptible to root damage from over-watering and to therefore err on the side of underwatering -- I have since read contradictory information saying that they should be well-watered, so not sure which source to believe.

My plan had been to cut off all the affected branches to stop this problem from spreading and begin watering more frequently. However, when I went out to begin trimming today, I realized that the problem is a bit more widespread than I realized. Not only am I worried about shocking the tree in a major way with the extensive level of pruning that would be required (followed by a necessary ground-planting before temperatures drop too far), I'm also worried that if I cut off every branch showing discoloration that I will be left with hardly any tree.

Therefore. I turned to online messageboards in the hope that I could get an answer from someone more knowledgeable about A) what problem I have and B) the best way to proceed.

I greatly appreciate any and all help, and thanks so much in advance.

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HU-398381345
Original Author

6 years ago

Thanks, all! I planted this and am hoping for the best! The branches do still seem healthy after the fingernail test and some of the darkened branches even started sprouting leaves.

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Comments (8)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
6 years ago
We really need to see clear photos of the tree and its issues to provide any meaningful advice. Otherwise, we are just guessing :-)
HU-398381345
Original Author
6 years ago
Well, it is only letting me upload this one picture for some reason. I will keep trying, but I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. Hopefully the one picture I did get uploaded helps!
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mblan13
6 years ago
looks kind of purple to me and the spots where the leaves were look green and it looks like new buds are forming. It might have just lost the leaves and it's too late to regrow new ones. In my experience in SOME JMs dieback will turn light grey. Pick a small spot on a small branch and lightly scratch the bark, if the wood is green , its alive. If your colorblind, enlist the help of someone who is not. Either way, I wouldn't trim anything until spring to see if they sprout new leaves next spring.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
6 years ago
Don't cut anything!! I am not sure what you are seeing that is causing you concern, but I see nothing that alarms me!! JM twig and branch growth will often develop patches of discoloration but it is nothing more than some mild sunburn and/or aging. Also a slight possibility of mechanical damage but I see nothing that would lead me to that conclusion either.

The buds look very healthy. And leaf drying or dropping of a containerized maple in late summer is perfectly normal as well. It is hard to maintain that very fine line of proper care in a container situation compared to the tree being planted in the ground.

btw, Japanese maples are a lot tougher trees than most imagine :-) Just get it planted. Well drained soil and some protection from hot afternoon sun. Make sure it gets plenty of water this fall but do not over water. I am pretty sure it will be just fine next spring!
Embothrium
6 years ago
Check against this, see if there is any similarity to what you are seeing there:

https://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/host-disease/maple-acer-spp-bacterial-leaf-spot-dieback
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
6 years ago
Pseudomonas syringae does not generally appear spontaneously during the peak of the growing season. It most often occurs in early spring just as the trees are leafing out, usually in response to winter cold damage or excessively wet weather. And most cultivars of JM's are relatively resistant........or at least less prone. It tends to be most present in those cultivars that have brightly colored bark, like any of the coral barks, Bihou, Japanese Sunrise, etc., due to some sort of genetic vulnerability.

I really do not think there is anything of concern with your maple.
Embothrium
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
As it says at the OSU page I linked to a range of maples are susceptible - I've had both 'Shaina' and Acer rubrum grow for a period of years and then dwindle away with what appeared to be bacterial blight. A former participant on the UBC forum with a nursery industry background claimed there was a problem with carelessly managed grafted stock coming to retail outlets with "internal" blight infections that manifested fully after installation on final planting sites. With the affected specimens looking clean at time of purchase. Consistent with this:

Our pot-grown seedlings have been kept totally protected from frost to ensure that your rootstocks are free of Pseudomonas (black stem) blight

http://www.heritageseedlings.com/page_68_40/acer-palmatum

Notice that at the above page Heritage is talking about the parent Japanese maple species being sufficiently prone to infection to warrant them taking preventative measures on a routine basis. And not just cultivars being susceptible, let alone any particular cultivar types.