Michael J. McGroarty
Perry, Ohio Copyright 2011
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Japanese maples are really a lot hardier and easier to grow than most people give them credit for. I often get asked; “Is my Japanese maple dying?’ and usually when somebody asks me that, their tree is more than likely in trouble. They’ve noticed that something is changing with their tree.
Usually leaves turning brown around the edges, brown spots on the leaves, or maybe leaves falling from the tree during the growing season. Brown spots on the leaves during the growing season can be caused from a number of different things, and for the most part none them are of serious concern. Usually brown spots appear because the leaves got wet when the sun was out and that can cause a small burn on a leaf with a droplet of water on the leaf.
Brown edges can be a sign of a tree that de-hydrated. But often times, late in the summer, especially with the dissectum varieties, the edges of the leaves turn brown just from the extreme heat and the wind blowing across the leaves. It’s a lot like holding a blow dryer to the leaves. Does this mean the roots are dry and need more water? That depends on how much rain you’ve had in your area prior to this happening. It is my experience that this drying of the edges of the leaves is just something that happens and seems to happen to most of my dissectum Japanese maples every year starting around late July. It’s certainly not something I get concerned about.
Now if all of the leaves on your Japanese maple are turning brown and falling off, you have a serious problem. If your tree has only been planted for a short time there are four things that I’d look for immediately.
1. Have you been watering the tree as needed. Trees that have only been planted a few weeks or even a few months should be watered once or twice weekly, but it’s important to check to see how moist the roots are before you water. The soil should be moist and cool to the touch, not powdery dry. But the soil should not stay soaking wet all the time.
2. How wet are the roots and or the soil around the roots? Japanese maples do not like wet feet. They don’t like standing water around their roots for very long at all. When you water the water that you apply should drain away within an hour or so and not linger around the root zone of your plant. If you have heavy, wet, clay soil that does not drain well you should plant your tree with the entire root ball buried in the ground. The root ball needs to be covered with soil, but you should raise the bed so at least half of the root ball is above the grade of your bed. This is only true if you have clay soil that does not drain well.
3. Is your tree planted too deep? Even if you have really good soil that drains well, the top of the root ball should be at least one inch above grade. Make sure the root ball is covered with soil so you actually have a slight mound over the root ball so excess amounts of water are shed away from the tree. There should not be more than one inch of soil up on the stem of the tree. If you have the tree planted too deep and there is three or four inches of soil on the stem of the tree it is planted too deeply and should be raised immediately.
4. How much have you fertilized your tree? Japanese maples don’t like and cannot use a great deal of nitrogen fertilizer. It’s much safer to mix rotted cow manure (bagged) into the hole as you plant your tree and not fertilize at all. If you really feel the need to fertilize a Japanese maple, use something organic, something low in nitrogen.
Is it possible that your Japanese maple is suffering from some dreaded disease and dying? Probably not, but just in case visit this page: Japanese Maple Diseases.
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My Japanese Maple started pushing all new leaves, but as soon as they opened they dried up and died. We have had the tree for about 7 years and its routine has not changed. Any suggestions? Should we take it out right away, or what? Thanks for any help.
Stacy,
This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
My tree is at least 20 years old but is shedding leaves now as I speak so does this apply to other also?
Tammy,
Trees defoliate early for a lot of reasons. At this point I’d just wait and see what spring brings.
I have just bought an Acer it has no leaves at all. Now I have it I am noticing other Acers around still have plenty. should I bee concerned. I bought it from a garden centre for over £200
Ralph,
As long as it is still alive I wouldn’t be overly concerned but it sounds like the stressed it with not enough water. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
I have a Japanese maple planted about 9 months ago. It was flourishing and then suddenly dropped almost all it’s leaves. I checked and the bark is still green when scratched, so I think it’s a drainage issue. I live in NC and the soil is clay like and damp. Any suggestions? Do you think it’s a drainage thing?
Kerry,
More than likely it is. If it were me I’d try and raise or move it to a raised bed.
Mine was doing the same thing I dug about 6in down and saw that the roots were black and rotting so I removed all of the soil from around the tree about 3 feet around and 12in down found the soil was wet and was not draining so I replaced with bagged topsoil two bags of sand in two days the brown leaves had uncurled and is starting to look healthy already it was a lot of work but I saved the tree
The bark is cracked and wrinkly and ugly looking don’t know what that is how can I save my tree
Butch,
almost sounds like herbicide damage but something else could be going on. Just trim and remove any loose or ragged bark.
Everything I’ve read on the internet including here tends to talk about not enough water. However, here in Central Florida we’ve had an unusual amount of rain almost daily for about 1 month now. It’s the beginning of July and this small tree was planted 2 months ago. Was doing so well, sprouting new leaves and looking wonderful. Just today I’ve noticed the drying leaves. I once gave it some liquid Miracle Grow, but that’s all it’s had. Is it too hot here you think? I’ve seen them growing in Central Florida everywhere. Mine is in full sun. Any suggestions? Shade it somehow?
Julie,
Shade for sure.
I purchased two tamukeyama japanese maples 2 weeks ago to put in my front yard flower bed (island). They were bare at the time. The leaves have come in nicely and very pretty. I’m now noticing one of them arent thriving so well. The leaves are more of a dark burgundy and droopy. The trees are planted in this crazy clay soil and we’ve gotten quite a bit of rain lately. Could my (1) tree be overwatered, underwatered, too much sunlight—what? I’m so confused as to what’s going on when both trees are planted in the same flowerbed. What should I do?
Stacy,
Too wet and or too deep and too wet. In clay you really want the root ball at least 1.5 inches above grade with soil mounded over it. Back fill the hole with clay to keep water from standing in the hole.
Hi Stacy,
If you are in the uk, we have had low temperatures return after they have come out in leaf, If you have planted them side by side and the leaves down one Outside Edge have started to droop and look slightly shriveled then that side is more exposed to the elements. We call it frosting, once the weather warms up again some will return, if not, next year.
Next year, after the leaves have come out, and the weather turns, you can just cover your tree with a fine net, this will protect it.
If your roots have got frozen just after planting out, it could die, sadly.
Let us know how it is getting on
My tree is about 15 years old, and was absolutely gorgeous until recently. the leaves all dried up, this worked it’s way round the tree until at the moment there is only one branch left ok. This has got seeds under the leaves. The wood of the tree seems dead, no green under the bark. What should I do?
Many thanks for your help.
Prue,
Not much you can do. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead. If the branches are dead remove them.
My Japanese maple is dead. Can I get a new one and plant at the same spot?
Fannie,
You can, but why is it dead? Is the spot too wet? Is the tree planted too deep? You need to answer those things first.
I have a twenty three year old Japanese Maple that shades a small pond. This spring about 10% of the tree still has the brown leaves left on from last years foliage. I have never seen this before on this tree.
Last year we lost a large branch from the tree, we removed the dead branch. The section that remains of that area has no brown leaves but has new buds. Should I assume this tree is in trouble. The tree may have had too much water from pond leaking. Leaking under control now. Is this tree salvageable.
I already had too much of nitrogen fertilizer for my tree. All the leaves are now turning brown around the edges and falling. What should I do to safe the tree? Look like it is dying. Please help. Thank you.
Brenda—- I did the SAME thing‼️‼️‼️???? I had an Arborist come to our home and Take a look at ours. I had placed 10-10-10 all around our trees. I didn’t do my research beforehand!!!
He suggested I remove all of the leafs because they were all dried up and dead. He said to wait it out and see if the tree will produce new buds and eventually, start leafing out again.
It’s been 2 weeks since we removed ALL if its’ leaves and it IS budding out and growing a few, new leafs‼️‼️‼️
I’ve had my Japanese Red Maple for about 5 years now. Every year, it has bloomed beautifully. It is mid-July and it’s branches are completely bare and the bark does not have the red on it. I’ve scratched some of the bark, it’s not mushy brown. It is very light tan, it looks healthy. I’m not sure what to do at this point, I don’t want to dig it up. Any suggestions??
On July 4, 2014 we had planted a 25 gallon red leaf maple. It gets full sun all day (here in TX about 95-97 degrees) and seemed to be doing fine with watering as directed. My husband put down some grass fertilizer with a chicken poop base and watered it into the grass. After 4-5 days I’ve notices the leaves on the tree are edged all around like they’ve been burned or scorched all around as high as I can see all the leaves seem affected. Could it be the fertilizer got into the root system? Or is it because of the heat? Help, I paid way too much to lose this tree.If it is the fertilizer, what do I do?
Thanks for any assistance.
I also have the same situation in Dallas. Mine gets some sun but not a whole lot but noticed that the edges are getting brown. From what I’ve read so far, its not abnormal and can be due to the heat. Some suggested using WiltStop. However, I am going to stop watering it too much and see what happens now that the weather is slowly cooling.
Chicken poop is super high in nitrogen which is tough for maples. I’d stick to composted cow manure. The tree should recover if you discontinue the chicken poop and water well. Good luck!
I agree, mix the chicken manure with some compost and let it sit for a while until it cools off. Then it should be safe for just about anything.
I live in Central Ohio. Last fall, our landscaper planted a Crimson Queen in one of our front yard beds. It never did bloom any leaves in the spring, but there are what appear to be dried buds on the ends of the branches. Also the trunk bark split (facing southwest as discussed often happens). Otherwise the tree structure feels firm and the flesh under bark is absolutely with a distinct green ring. We pulled the split bark off the trunk so it could heal as advised by our local garden nursery that sells these trees. Is it possible for the tree to be asleep or dormant? It’s now June and the branches are barren, but otherwise the tree does not feel like it is dead. There are a couple of very small sprouts very low on the trunk but these might be below the graft line, I’m not sure. Either way these sprouts seem to indicate some signs of life. Thoughts????
Buds have come out but are not advancing. Branches are green on slight scratch.. Is the tree temporarily dormant? Some buds seem dry. What to do?
Ernest,
If the tissue below the bark is still green there’s hope. Could be a late freeze damaged the buds.
My maple is about 15 years old. Last year I replanted the tree about 3 metres from de old place. In spring of next year the new leaves are smaller then usually and now the many small tiny branches and leaves turns into red (from dark green colour) and die. It is a desease or a lack of nutrients or wet in exces ?
I bought a japaneze maple late last summer & planted it. Seemed ok, but has done nothing this year. The trunk shows green thru but a short distance up the trunk, the color changes. When i scrape, I don’t see green. The branches are really dark in color. The seem somewhat pliable but are not green inside. Also, not mush either. I can’t hardly scrape my nail through the base of branches. Any suggestions?
My Japanese Maple was planted 8 months ago and was doing fine. Then it rained a tremendous amount over a period of a month. The ground around the tree has remained soggy. The leaves have dried up. Any suggestions?
We planted my bloodgood Japenes
maple last week. Some of it’s leaves are turning brown, Could I have over watered. I soaked it when I put it in,
I watered again two days later and then it rained. We had a minor frost but I covered it up. until the next morning.I watered it on Monday and the following day, I noticed some brown edges on some of the upper
leaves. Can you give me some Idea of what’s happening & what I can do
to make it better. thanks so much.
Myra
Myra
At this point first thing, make sure the tree is not planted too deep. It should only have about one inch of soil over the root ball, then another inch of mulch, but not two inches of soil. Second, make sure when it does get watered the water around the roots drains away. If in heavy clay that might not be the case and the tree should be raised another 3″ then soil mounded over the root ball. Do Not fertilize it at all. It needs no fertilizer. Water only when dry. I wouldn’t be concerned about brown edges on the leaves right now, just give it some time.
I have a new japanese maple and ever since I have had it (just a few months) the leaves have shriveled up, and are starting to fall off. Reading this it is likely that I have over watered. Is there anything I can do to reverse the situation or it is too late?!!!
I have a Japanese maplevthat all leaves are turning brown…im desparate…how can I send u a picture to help me…please respond asap…..we are north of greenvilletx about 40 miles
..weather is 90 to 100 degrees everyday…imvwstering twice a day really good
The date is august 11th.
We just bought a home that has a 30 year old giant japanese maple. We are experiencing a 4 year drought and turned down the drip system from 30 to 15 minutes every 2-3 days.
However almost all the leaves dried up and fell off within 1 week. Lower branches are fairing slightly better, but still don’t look healthy. Seed pods are visible. We have increased watering back to previous levels, and have added a thin layer of new mulch.
The branches and trunk are fairly green still.
This exact same thing happened to me this summer with our two 30 year old trees.
We have been experiencing drought and record hot summer temps in California. We stopped watering our lawn, not realizing that this was the tree’s only water source. The leaves have been drying up & falling off all summer even after we started watering them again.
We have lost over half of the tree it seems, wondering if the branches will re-sprout leaves next year, or are they dead now?
Very scary, would hate to loose these beautiful trees…
Theresa,
It really depends on how damaged the tissue under the bark of the tree is. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
Not much you can do but do this test and see what happens come spring.
Hello, I started with a baby size Japanese maple about 3 or 4r yrs ago and it has been doing beautifully. I just recently had it transplanted to a different location in the yard (early Aug.) and after a little over a week most of the leaves have dried up and fell off. ; o Based on some of your information provided, I’m not sure if my plant is over or under watered or if it was replanted too deep in the ground. Any suggestions/assistance would be much appreciated. Thank you.
Makala T.
Makala,
Moving it in August is probably what caused the problems. You can only move Japanese maples and most other plants when they are dormant.
I have two Japanese Maples about 10-15 years old. They have dead branches on the top of the tree with green leaves toward the bottom. Is the tree dehydrated?
Tamara,
This could be a sign of the trees drying out over the summer if this damage occurred late in the growing season. Or it could be damage from last winter. Wait until spring and remove any branches that don’t produce leaves.
I have ever a similar situation…my red Japanese maple gets mostly shade except the top…that gets mostly sun…and is about 10 years old. Between the middle and the bottom, some-thinner ones and not a ton of them but noticable if you pay attn to it-branches are losing leaves until they all fall off. No leaves grow back on them. Then those branches slowly but eventually die off. At the very base though, there are a bunch of new and green leaved shoots coming off the trunk. Is this normal?
Heather,
Could be a lot of things going on. Severe winter damage from two hard winters seems to be showing up late in some Japanese maples. But if your plant is mostly in the shade, then the middle of the plant is really shaded. Even though they appreciate some shade, all plants need some sunlight. Could that be the issue? I don’t know, not sure how much sun or shade it actually gets.
The new sprouts off the trunk are normal but they are also probably suckers from the root stock and probably won’t look anything like the rest of the plant.
We bought 4 rather small Japanese Maples 2 weeks ago. They are all different varieties and all looked very healthy when we bought them. We have not planted them in the ground yet, but intend to soon. One was a Waterfall Japanese Maple and all of it’s leave have turned brown and shriveled up. They have not fallen off, but this one plant looks like it is struggling. We noticed this last week, 1 week after we bought it. The other 3 look just like they did when we bought them. Any ideas on why this one would looks like it does while the others seem fine? They have all been in mostly shade, with 1-2 hours of full sunlight a day.
Mimi,
It sounds like that one didn’t get enough water. Plants in containers need to be watered daily.
I bought Japanese maple just 3 weeks ago and soon leaves start to dry, and now not much leaves left and can’t to understand what is wrong, cause it don’t get too much sun light and what is most odd that soil is always very moist, drainage is good but how soil don’t dry up, i repoted it from bonsai pot to a much bigger, changed other soil but the same :/ i didn’t give water for more then week it still very moist
Cree,
You need to lighten that soil up. Add lots of perlite, or plant the tree in the ground. They are usually happiest in the ground.
I planted a young Laceleaf in my yard this summer. The leaves are looking scorched and some branches on top are bare, but I have watered regularly & soul feels just as it should, cool and moist. Any idea what could be the problem?
Katie,
It’s not unusual for a young laceleaf to show some stress at the end of the season. Just give it some time and if really young maybe create some shade of it during the heat of the summer.
Any ideas on how to create shade for my shirazz Japanese maple that’s sitting in the middle of my lawn and getting full sun all day long? The leaves look dried around the edges.
I use mesh tarps to create shade anywhere that I need it.
It’s Fall in the NW and our Bloodgood maple has beautiful red foliage and yet half of the trees leaves are normal looking where the other half is curled up. Is this normal or if not, does someone know what it could be? Last winter, we removed the landscape fabric the previous owner installed at the base, plus the 8-10″ of dirt & mulch they had applied on top of the fabric. Madness. I realize we greatly disturbed the roots but they were buried as well as the trunk flare upwards of 10-12″.
Our former place, the previous owned had done the same and the leaves had turned brown in the Fall rather than the typical reds, oranges. It took approximately 3 years to recover once we had removed the soil off the trunk and root ball to where it should be.
Any advice is appreciated.
Ed,
I can’t honestly say except to say wait until spring to see how the tree looks. One of my Japanese maples completely defoliated early, but just one side. It concerns me, but only thing I can do is wait and see.
Hi Mike—please, help me understand…I just read the above question… I was told, TO —- cloth and mulch around our trees, that we have planted, within the sod, throughout our front yard????
It took me FOREVER —to cut circles out of the sod, around each tree!!
Should I not use cloth and mulch ??
Kimberly,
Mulch is fine but no more than 3″. Too much mulch up on the stem of a tree will eventually kill the tree. As far as the cloth, I’d never use it. See this; http://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2012/06/weed-barrier-fabric-or-weed-barrier-cloth-does-it-work/
Dear Mike,
I have spent months looking online to find an answer about my Japanese Maple that is struggling and came upon your site. I was wondering if you had any insight!
We have a beautiful 20 year old Japanese Maple in our front yard which has never had a problem over the years. We live in New England. Last spring, I noticed all the ones in our neighborhood had bloomed and ours looked bare apart from 2 branches. Turns out it was completely defoliated by winter moth caterpillars! They ate everything from within the bud which is why there were no leaves. The tree then tried to push a second set of leaves but failed because of the drought we had last summer in New England. So the poor tree went through a severe winter, then severe defoliation followed by a very hot summer. I still had hope because the tree was still green inside.
I just checked the tree this weekend and it has a lot dieback. Almost on ALL the branches. Just the tips though, not the whole branch. It looks like some of them have tiny red buds.
Do I have any hope? Should I get someone to come and prune the die back? Or is it best to leave it alone?
Any help would be very much appreciated! I would be devastated to lose this tree!
Best regards,
Iliana
Iliana,
At this point I’d leave the tree alone and give it a chance to recover. By late May or June you should have a good idea what’s alive and what is not. The dead can then be removed. It may not look all that good this year, but you might be surprised at the recovery it can make. I’ve seen Japanese maples do some pretty miraculous things over a couple of years.
Mike,
Thank you so much for your quick reply! I will leave the tree as is for now. What shall I do about the winter moth caterpillars? I can’t see any eggs for now but I’m scared that they will get into the buds and destroy the tree like they did last year. Shall I spray with captain jacks dead bug brew? It’s been unusually warm here in New England.
Thanks!
Iliana,
That I don’t honestly know, google winter moth fact sheet and see what you can learn about controlling this pest. It’s not something that I’ve ever encountered. Also your local county extension service can help.
Just wanted to update! I am devastated!! Just got my arborist to come out and spray and it turns out they tree has a root problem. He said the roots are girdling and suffocating it 🙁 Only has 10% chance of survival. I’m still praying it recovers. I am so sad. 🙁 I dug out around the routes and there seems to be girdling on about half the side. Any hope?
We had an oak tree with girded roots. Our arborist dug around the root system and exposed the offending root and cut it. Like you we were not given much hope. Today our tree is thriving and beautiful.
Hi, Mike.
I am following your blog for approx. 2 years and learned a lot, thank you!
All my JM are in pots. Last week I made a terrible mistake by leaving some of them (3y Katsura, 2y Seiryu and 2y Beni Maiko) in my car with 28 degrees Celsius outside (quite hot spring in Bulgaria it is). They were left for some good 10 hours and the result was awful – all leaves brown, crumbled and dead.
I made a drastic pruning, moved the pots in a shaded area and watered a little.
Should I keep the hope that they will revive or not?
Thanks
Plamen,
I’d have to guess that they’ll be fine unless the soil in the pots was bone, bone dry. Give them a few weeks.
Thanks for the good news!
Will keep you posted.
Mike,
Thank you for all your advice to us maple lovers. I bought a Japanese maple from a local grower that was about 5 feet tall and full of leaves. I planted the tree with a about 3 -4 inches of the ball above the level of the soil and remediated our Louisiana gumbo clay with 6 to 8 bags or good gardening soil. The tree has added leaf and stem length, and done well for at a minimum of 2-3 months time in the ground. We have had several storms and extended rainy periods, but had an especially large amount of rain over a week. The leaves, especially new growth near the tips is damaged or dying, but it appears all of the branches of leaves appear like they are bowing or tilting toward the stem or branch. Is this due to the water, or some other problem? Thanks!
Thomas,
If the soil around the roots is really soggy that could be a problem. If you just planted this tree and you think it’s too wet, I’d lift it out of the hole and allow it to dry a bit. You did right by planting the tree high, but if you over dug the hole and amended the soil you back filled with that could be a problem. It might be allowing too much water to sit in the bottom part of the hole.
My Japanese Maple was doing fine , the leaves had come back on and it was looking healthy as usual . I drove in my drive after work yesterday and all of a sudden the leaves looked all dried and shriveled . I planted it 4 or 5 Years ago ,not sure , have never had any problem with it . I tried watering it , bu now I see that was the wrong thing to do .Any explanation as to what would make it suddenly dry up ?
Carol,
This sounds crazy but I think some of this has to do with delayed winter damage from two really bad winters. I’m guessing the tree is not going to make it.
Hi, I have a blood good Japanese maple , every year
It got more beautiful than year before and growing very well . We didn’t have any cold winter this year , but
as it shows in the picture the branches has just few leaves , is not like last year that it was so many leaves you couldn’t see even the branches . Please let me know what I can do to save it .
Maryam,
I think this is delayed winter damage from the year before. All you can do is prune out the dead and give the tree some time. It should recover, but it will be slow.
Hi mt mapke leafted up green and wad foing ok, then the leaves started to wilt. Thought it wad lsvk of water. But water did nothing. Leaves just eilted away all over tree, not brown still soft leaves..what has happen it wad doing really well around 4 yrs olf.
Kim,
Possibly too much water? They do not like wet feet. I’d stop watering it for now.
Guys, I live in south east asia. Is it possible to grow a maple tree in a tropical climate?
I just about to learn about planting native plants.. especially red & yellow japanese maple.
I’ve been trying to plant maple from seeds.. I learnt from the internet how to do it. I realize it’s really hard. Could someone help me please?
Sutikno,
The problem is that Japanese maples need a dormancy period where it’s below freezing and in your climate some shade. This on growing from seed https://backyardgrowers.com/backyard-income-opportunity/growing-japanese-maples-from-seed/
I planted a Fireglow JM about two weeks ago. It did great for the first couple of days. Then, I messed up and sprayed neem oil all over the leaves to kill some Japanese Beetles. All of the leaves subsequently shriveled up and fell off. Now, there is no sign of new leaf growth and my $150 tree is looking like Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree. Did I kill it? What can I do to revive it? Thanks
-Ron
Ron,
Not really anything you can do but wait and see. It might leaf back out in a few weeks. Not sure the neem oil did the damage but it might have. Did you fertilize it? That can do damage. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
Hey Mike the is Dennis from N/E Philly and my grandma’s Japanese blood good tree appears to be dying.. I just went outside to check it like you said to, and hears what I Found… The leaves that are usually red are turning green and very dry.. The bark is hard as can be to even scratch but when I did, it was of course brown underneath it.. The front side of the leaves on this tree are all gone, and after looking at it again today.. I noticed some of the one`s on the back are now gone too.. There is also a weird green Fungus growing threw out the tree, and the ground around it, is literally hard as a rock.. This is of course a 20 yr old tree that my grandfather planted before he died back in 96… He very special to her and of course all of us, and I was just wondering if there was anyway for me to save this tree.. Is there anything that we can do to save a tree like this???
Dennis,
I honestly don’t know what you can do to save this tree other than keep it watered but never soaking wet. If part of the tree remains viable just prune away all that is not doing well and it might surprise you. Wish I could offer more but I really can’t.
We were on this website because our 10-year-old Japanese maple had lost most of its leaves. We went out to take another look at it after reading some of the comments and saw bag worm bags all over it. We picked every one of them off and hope this saves the tree.
Nan,
If you keep them off the tree should come back.
Hello, I have 2 potted miniature Japanese maples. They are on a balcony with northern exposure so they get a lot of bright light and no direct sunlight at all. I live in Chicago. I planted them in the spring. They were doing beautifully until one day when it got really hot, over 95*. all the leaves browned and died. They are still on the tree though but one by one they fall. I water them once or twice a week and touch the soil to make sure it is not too wet or totally dry. I scratch the branches with my finger nail and there is green underneath so I think the trees are alive. There is no new growth. What should I do?
Greg,
All you can do is water them as needed and hope they leaf back out. I’m guessing that the dried out in the heat of the day in those high temps.
Mike, My Japanese feather maple is about 20 years old and has been beautiful all these years. It is planted as you have recommended and we have had very sufficient rain. I do not fertilize it and have never pruned it since it looked like it didn’t need it. However, shortly after it started budding out and feathering, the leaves started to drop off and I have very few left. It’s usually so full you can’t see through it but now you can. What can I do? I love this tree.
Carol,
I really don’t think there is anything you can do but give it some time. This could be left over winter damage from the two really hard winters. You might be surprised, it might come back strong.
I live in California where it has been very hot and dry. I have a 50 year old Japanese maple. About a year ago I started putting mulch all around the dripline of the tree and covered up a bunch of exposed roots to try and protect it from the drought. I also realize I have been over watering it. It’s been doing great until about 2 weeks ago and of course I started watering it more. I realize what I have done and now I am trying to save my tree. I removed all the mulch so the roots could dry out. But I’m afraid it’s already too late. All the leaves are wilting and loosing there color, turning from dark green to light. The branches are begining to have a green tint to them. Also the tree is producing many seed leaves and it is August. these symptoms came on within days and have only been going to for 2 weeks max. My question: is it too late to save my tree?
Brian,
If your tree truly was too wet and you’ve now reversed that situation the best you can, it’s likely that it will leaf back out again. Could be a bit confused for a while, but I would expect it to be fine as long as you corrected the problem as soon as it started to appear.
i had a Japanese maple tree that was in a bad area, other trees were around it and it hindered its growth. I recently uprooted it and out it in a nice open area. it doesnt look so good. The leaves are brownish and it looks not full Would a photo help? Its late summer so maybe give it to the fall when its not so hot? Thanks
Kenny,
This is completely the wrong time of the year to move a Japanese maple tree, or any plant for that matter. Digging season doesn’t start until Thanksgiving, then it’s safe to keep digging and moving plants until early to mid spring. Plants have to be dormant before they can be dug. Not much you can do but water as needed, don’t keep it soaking wet, maybe give it some shade and hope for the best.
Does anyone else wonder if the air quality has anything to do with our Japanese Maples? Or the rain water? Sometimes, I wonder. Some varieties seem more sensitive than others. I have 4 vareties in my yard and I don’t know if it is excessive sun exposure, water, air, or what. They are each different. And one has dried up leaves and looks awful
We will never know.
I don’t buy into that theory. I have hundreds and hundreds of them. If I treat them as I should they thrive.
I brought a Japanese maple that’s about 4 years old two weeks ago, it was doing fine until recently some of the new buds have all curled up and a lot of the leaves are facing downwards, it is over 35C now here, should I water it more? Pls reply, thanks
I didn’t see this one, please ignore it:)
Annie,
Really small Japanese maples enjoy some shade for the first year or two, but after that they should be fine. In really hot sun, like the 95 degree F temps you are seeing now the edges of the leaves might brown, but that won’t do serious harm. Lack of sun will result in a plant with poor color. The biggest problems are planting too deep and or over watering. Check the soil with a meter or your fingers. It should be moist and cool, not soggy.
I brought a Japanese maple that’s about 4 years old two weeks ago, it was doing fine until recently some of the new buds have all curled up looking dead and a lot of the leaves are leaning downwards, it is over 35C now here, should I water it more? Pls reply, thanks(ps: I never put it in the direct sunlight because I found out that they are sunburned easily and I think the sunlight are too strong, is that the problem?) (pps: it’s not turning red, why:/ )
I planted my Japanese maple last summer so it’s small to med size it beginning of April and it doesn’t have leaves yet is it dead? If not when does it get leaves?
Nicky,
Easy enough to find out. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
The bark around our two Japanese maples – specifically their trunks – is heavily cracked, even scared, and is readily peeling away from the tree.
The finer previously green branches have a strange white grey coating on the upper sides.
We live in South Africa, however the Johannesburg climate doesn’t seem to have much of an impact on maple growth as they are a very popular plant in the region.
I suspect some form of fungal disease however I cannot be sure.
Alexey,
I don’t know, I’m at a loss. Cracked and peeling bark is often winter damage. I’m assuming it doesn’t get that cold there.
I have a Japanese maple, red thin leaves, which sprouted a large branch of green leaves which look different (larger leaves) than what I have. Should I remove this growth?
Roberta,
Absolutely remove that branch and any others that show up that look like that. This is growth coming from the root stock, below the graft union.
Mike,
We have a beautiful japanese maple located in western PA that we planted 4-5 years ago, and it has been healthy ever since about 2-3 weeks ago. It started at about 6-7′ high and now is 10-11′ high, it is planted on the east side of our house so it gets morning sun and afternoon shade. We have never fertilized it and other than the first year, only watered during long summer spells without rain. Over the past few weeks, we could tell it was not filling out like years past and in the past week all of the leaves have wilted and turned a dark burgundy color. I have done the scratch test and all of the branches still have green. My only suspicion is that we had a very late frost here, around May 9/10, that impacted a lot of my garden vegetables. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Luke
Luke,
It is possible that the late frost really had an impact on the tree, especially if it got down to freezing. As long as the soil around the tree is not too wet I’d just leave it be and allow it to find it’s own way. I’ve had many mature Japanese maples suffer freeze damage over the years. They usually come back nicely, but it is a very slow process and it might not fully recover in this growing season. All it needs is time.
Hi, I planted a 4ft Japanese maple in a large shallow (bowl) planter in April (Southern California). All was fine until end May when I noticed in the space of a week a lot of leaves drying up and turning gray. The tree is against a north facing wall and receives little to no direct sun light. I watered it well for a month and it’s been getting 1 min of drip line watering three times a week.
I’m wondering if I’m under watering or there is too little direct light? I’d appreciate your thoughts and advise.
Clive,
Sounds like plenty, maybe too much, water, but the only way to know for sure is to dig in around the root ball with your hand. The soil should be moist and cool, but not wet or soggy. They are often planted too deep or over watered, or over fertilized.
I planted a Japanese Maple sapling 3 years ago, and it’s been doing great. I recently started to convert the garden bed around it to a zen garden and planted moss around the base of the tree. I’ve been watering the moss daily to help it set. But my tree has lost the leaves from the top and now the ones that are left are turning more yellow. Is the tree not getting enough water? Or too much from the daily moss watering?
Thank you!
Kammy,
Sounds like too much water to me, they hate wet feet.
Okay, I’ll skip.watering for a few days. Thanks!!!
I have a dwarf Red Lace Japanese maple. It came through winter and leaves grew and it looked beautiful and bushy. I had it in a corner of our back porch where it got afternoon sun and was doing really well. Within the last week the leaves have all dried up. The other dwarf Japanese maples a have are doing well. Did it get too much direct afternoon sun..I have watered and fertilized all mine the same. I have cut off the dead leaves and hoping it will grow back also I have put it in a shady spot.
David, might have dried out? The right amount of fertilizer for one might be too much for another. Just guessing really. I would use only an organic fertilizer on them. But I’ve heard a lot of this this year, not sure why. Leafed out fine then failed.
I live in Alabama, zone 7b. I planted a young (maybe 3 ft y’all Japanese maple in the beginning of spring about 4 months ago. It wass doing really well, but we recently put in a pond to the side of the Japanese maple. The pond has a lot of run off after a lot of rain, which we’ve had a lot of the last month or so. The last week ago, about 90 % of the leaves withered up and looks sick. I panicked, soI dug it up and potted it in a pot and placed it in the shade. Did I make a mistake? I was afraid to wait 4 or 5 months for it to go dormant. By then it would have probably died.
Bobbi,
Since it was just planted it’s probably fine. If it was too wet it should leaf back out but do water it in the pot.
Hi, we bought a house in central VA with many beautiful japanese maples including two still potted that had been sitting in their brittle black plastic pots for several years – long enough for the roots to have grown through the pots when we found them. Not sure the specific types but one is a smaller red-leaved tree is about 3′ tall, the other is green and maybe 5′. We never messed with them, until recently we had a nearby dying pine tree removed, and the hurried workers temporarily relocated the maples by shovel-cutting the roots that had grown out of the pots… Afterward they put the pots about halfway into the ground, but within a few days the leaves all dried up. I mistakenly over-watered the plants, but now have realized my mistake and taken the pots back out to try to dry the root balls. They’re still green under the bark but I feel like they need to get into the ground asap to have any chance since at least some of the roots were cut. Should I cut the pots off and plant them in the shade? In the sun? Is there anything i can do to help the roots recover? Thanks for your time.
JinRVA,
Yes, I would remove the pots and get the trees planted. The severed roots are probably what caused the trees to suffer. Plant them, water as needed and hope for the best. No fertilizer. Cutting roots on a plant that is actively growing is like doing surgery on a person who is wide awake.
Mike, We have a very large, vast, and mature (guessing its at least 70+ years old) Japanese Maple out front of our home here in Baltimore County, Maryland. Its always been lush and delightful. This spring it started its bloom and then suddenly stopped. Now it sits there barren. We didn’t have an unusual amount of precipitation this past winter or spring. I havent scraped the bark to see the undercoloring, yet. What can cause the sudden “death” of such a successful and mature resident? Can dog urine cause this?
Chris,
I’ve heard this many times this year and I am perplexed. I need to consult some experts. When I do I’ll write an article and send an email. I don’t think it’s the dog urine, it would take a lot of dog urine to kill a mature tree like that.
my Japanese maple is losing its leaves from only one part of the tree i have tested the soil for damp or dry but just damp down to 3 feet my tree is planted in a lawn which gets feed on a regular basis is it the wind and the sun burn tested the bark and it is green i had the tree for about 15 years
Derek,
This is a possibility https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/fact-sheets/anthracnose-of-maple
One of my (2) two year old Japanese Maples is turning yellow. Any thoughts?
Wendy,
First thoughts are too wet, too dry, planted too deep.
My son inherited a dwarf Japanese Maple that is in a pot. He didn’t water it for over a week and now much of the foilage is crisp. What, if anything can be done for this tree?
Deanna,
All you can do is put it in the shade and water as need to see if it starts making new leaves. Just depends on how dry it got.
Hi,
I got this beautiful, 5ft tall Japanese emperor maple from local nursery in April 2017. It was recommended by nursery guy to uses some kind of algae/ fungi to help the tree establish and grow. So I did. It Was planted in my backyard at a spot which gets morning sun for 6-8 hours and then it gets shade from surrounding tall trees which are about 12-15 ft away. The spot has a slope but the drainage is not very good when it rains. Since June it started showing dry leaves and then by the end of June 90% leaves dried. I talked to my nursery guy about the issue and he advised to remove all leaves and check if the bark was green underneath after scratching. It was green. He also suggested that the roots may be deep and drainage may not be good. So it may help to transfer the tree at better spot. So I did that. But after 3-4weeks still no sign of life.
Is my tree going to survive? Will it get leaves anytime soon? Do you have any advice or tip for further care?
I am very distressed and disappointed.
Dipesh,
Sounds like it was too wet and or too deep. If it’s in a better spot now and not planted too deep it’s likely to leaf back out. Check the tissue below the bark every few weeks. As long as it’s still green your tree has hope. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
I am in California Central Valley zone 9b. It gets very hot here in summer. In April 2017 we planted a 4-5 ‘ Japanese maple at my son’s school for a memorial.. We wanted to donate a tree – the school people told us they wanted a Japanese maple. But it turned out the spot where it was planted has very little shade. The tree looked fine until mid-June when we had temperatures in 90s-100s. Then all the leaves got scorched and fell off. We were concerned the tree was not getting enough water with the school closed for the summer and temperatures well over 100. We thought the tree would die if we waited until October to move it, so two weeks ago we dug it up and put it in a large pot on our shaded patio.
Now my question is whether the tree is dead. The smaller branches show green under the bark, but on the trunk and larger branches it’s hard to see any green under the bark. The bark is dark brown. The wood is white and firm, not brittle or mushy.
There are buds on the branches where the leaves fell off, and many of them have tiny green fuzzy things on them. Are these a sign of life?
Is there anything I can do at this point, other than wait and see if it grows leaves in the spring?
Thanks for any advice.
Nancy,
Sounds to me that it dried out. Just keep it watered but not soaking wet. If the branches are still alive it will make new leaves. Once you determine for sure what’s dead just remove those branches. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
I have two Bloodgood JM that are definately suffering from wet roots in dense clay. My question is if I raise them in late fall what should I fill under them with. I am afraid the clay bowl will just hold water.
Greg,
Best thing to back fill with is the clay, then the hole can’t hold water. You can use topsoil to raise the bed but I don’t recommend putting it in the hole.
I live in Mississippi. I bought a 5 gal Orangeola Maple in May and planted it in a large planter that gets morning sun but afternoon shade. The planter is about 30x30x30. I left the very top uncovered. I have watered it everyday unless it rained. It was beautiful but not all the leaves are shriveling, turning brown and falling off. Should I plant it in the ground? Is it too much water?
Debra,
Almost sounds like it got too dry at some point. Over watering the leaves will drop, but not really dry up and crinkle. Things are much easier to manage in the ground. They need a lot less water.
I have a Japanese Maple, more than 25 years. Every year the tree sheds it leaves late in fall. This year all the leaves are brown and curled but did not fall. It’s now December and snow all over it. Why did the leaves not fall?
Debbie,
Some times this happens. I wouldn’t be concerned, this just came up in the members area, http://backyardgrowers.com/join
Hi my name is Ron and I have a Japanese maple tree and my leaves are still on the tree and it’s dec. 22 its winter hear in alden n.y. It never did that before is my tree ok.
Ron,
This is crazy. People have been telling me this from different parts of the country and here in Ohio I see the exact same thing. I don’t know the answer, but I hope to find out and write about it. Our fall couldn’t have been more typical, yet these leaves are not dropping. Need to get to the bottom of this.
Hi Ron,
Same here in Westchester County. The leaves are still on my Japanese Maples and they’re covered with snow this Christmas morning.
what is the yellow growing on my japanese maple branches?
Joe,
Probably Lichens. https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/trees-shrubs/non-harmful-tree-conditions/img/lichen_1000.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/trees-shrubs/non-harmful-tree-conditions/&h=750&w=1000&tbnid=OXijMd_MpqbiIM:&tbnh=160&tbnw=213&usg=__LuXE2atb7sdnuqkt1cQL2CNS1Ao%3D&vet=10ahUKEwi1wfrn0b_ZAhUFON8KHU-rBzEQ9QEIMDAA..i&docid=IbYA6iwGsmy-NM&client=firefox-b-1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi1wfrn0b_ZAhUFON8KHU-rBzEQ9QEIMDAA
I am in PA. I have a red maple and only one branch has leaves. Should I cut back the other branches?
Linda,
First check to see if they are dead. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
We also have a bloodgood Jm that is red on the top part, but nothing on the lower part. Shoot it even has last years dead leaves on it still, It’s very strange.
We live in Nebraska and had A late spring. . Should we just give it some time? I hate to prune it but I will if you think it’ll make it.
Stacey,
Just give it some time, it knows what to do.
I live in Maryland and received a Japanese Lacey Leaf Maple about a month ago as a gift. When received, it did not have a lot of leaves on it but it had leaves. We planted the tree in the back yard since then the leaves have fallen off. The main truck of the tree is green and we have been watering it twice a week. Is this normal when you first plant? The tree is about 3 foot.
Jessica,
Not normal, could be too wet and or planted too deep. The soil should be moist, not soggy.
We just bought a large Japanese maple with coral bark. I consulted with the nursery we bought it from because all but about 3 branches are dead leaves. We realized it had root rot. Took it out, put rocks underneath and it’s perked up. What do I do with all the brown leaves?
Don’t worry about the leaves, but the rocks alone won’t solve the problem. It’s need to high enough in the ground to breath. At least one inches or more above grade then covered with soil.
We took it out of ground above root level, emptied water out. Filled hole with good soil and rocks so it could drain. The branches are still healthy but all but about 3 branches have brown leaves. Do I cover the soil with pine straw and when do I water again. We live in Alabama.
Good afternoon, We planted 3 JM’s (Rhode Island Red, Red Twombley) in pots in Seattle last month. We used the nursery-recommended mix of part azalea soil and part potting soil. The leaves started drying up and wilting from the inside of the tree out over a period of 3-5 days. At first, I thought it was over-watering, but now, I’m not so sure. All three trees are in the sun for most of the day.
The root ball seems very dry, but the soil around the root ball seems moist enough. The potting soil mix isn’t really “dirt” per se. It’s more dried up mulch / organic material.
I pulled the dead leaves on the tree in worst condition. Looks like there is a secondary leaf growth on that tree, which is encouraging.
We also planted some JM”s in the ground. They went into extremely sandy soil mixed with organic soil conditioner. They seem to be doing fine in similar sunshine.
Any further insight to the situation with the potted JM”s? Thanks!
Padraic,
Sounds as if they might have dried out. ???? Just keep them watered, make sure excess water drains out of the containers.
I’m not so sure. All three trees are in the sun for most of the day.
We have a type of Japanese Maple (not sure which variety… it is upright and wide with bright crimson leaves). It is now end of June and the leaves have been shedding for the past month. I don’t believe this is normal. The main part of the tree and some bigger branches are green underneath the bark when I scratch. But the thinner branches are not. We’ve had several big thunderstorms this spring. Could the ground be too moist? Is the tree dead? If not yet dead, how can we save it?
Avincent,
It sounds like the tree is too wet. If recently planted I’d for sure get it up out of the hole and replant it in a location this is not so wet. Make sure it’s not planted too deeply. It’s probably not dead yet, but if it’s been there a while digging it might shock it as well. But I don’t know that you have a choice at this point.
Hi. We planted a 6 ft Trompenberg Japanese maple around 2 weeks ago. We live in zone 5, but there was heat wave during planting (close to 100F) and for about a week later. The location gets significant afternoon sun. The rootball was partially exposed for some hours because it had rooted past the burlap at the nursey. The tree seemed to go into immediate shock. I tried to shade the tree and water when needed, but the previously reddish leaves shriveled and became gold/bronze color. They don’t seem entirely dead. In the mornings — they are less shriveled and not too crispy, but I am worried that it may be dying. The bark is still green. Is there any chance that this tree makes it? Is there anything I can do to increase its chances? I have many other Japanese maples in my garden and they all look happy, but this one is breaking my heart.
Jacky,
Sounds to me like it dried out, or some root damage was done while planting. Probably dried out. Just water as needed but don’t over water. It will be a slow process but should bounce back.
I have a Japanese maple at home but all the leaves fell os in the spring and I thought something was wrong so I took it out of the pot it was in and planted it in the plain dirt. It still has not grown leaves. It grew little branches but they have dried up. I do not know what to do now. HELP ME PLZ!!!
Cherry,
Check to see if your tree has any hope at all. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
I have a Japanese maple but all the leaves in mid spring and I thought something was wrong so I took it out of the pot it was in and planted it into the plain ground. It still would not grow leaves. It grew some little brances but they soon dried up. I do not know what to do. Can someone help me?????????????
Micheal,
Doesn’t sound good. Usually too wet, too dry, planted too deep, too much fertilizer. I’d guess that one of those things happened to your tree.
Hi. I recently bought a 7 foot Bloodgood Japanese maple. I wasn’t able to plant it right away and I am still in the process of planting it. It is in a burlap. But I haven’t been watering it every day and most of the leaves have died. There are some that aren’t dead, but most are. Did I kill this tree or is there a chance if I get it planted ASAP that it will come back next year? Thank you for any help. I bought it way too soon before doing the proper research.
Dominic,
You certainly hurt the tree. How damaged it is we don’t know yet. Get it watered really well, get it planted, not too deep and not in a wet area, water as needed, then start checking the branches. If the branches show as being dead the tree is gone. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
It is mid August and my established 20 ft tall red Japanese maple is turning brown and losing its leaves. We have had heavy rains.
Probably too wet or too dry. Not a lot you can do right now unless you think it’s too dry but doesn’t sound like it.
I bought my maple last spring, it was beautiful and red/green. Since then with watering once to twice a week, it has brown edges like mentioned above and now the leaves are stating to dry (not brown completly, justa dry green with brown edges) and fall off. It’s not end of September and I live in Los Angeles. Is it dying? Or is this normal process. Do all maples loose their leaves?
Jessica,
It’s probably okay, LA is pretty hot for a Japanese maple. Be careful to not over water it.
A few months ago and for the very first time, our 8 yr old red bark Japanese Maple began growing long 2-4 foot shoots with very few leaves At the tip of all of its branches. And oddly, at the beginning of each long, gangly shoot, there is a cluster of dried leaves. Is this something serious and what would cause this strange growth? Because it looked so unruly, we cut off the shoots that we could reach…was that a mistake?
Thank you for your assistance.
Arlin,
Could be water sprouts, possibly too much water, soil too wet.
Should we cut the shoots off? Thank you.
Hi,
I got my japanese maple in June. The pot I originally planted it in was one that retained water. The tree started dying, so I replanted it into a pot that has holes in the bottom about a month ago. I also trimmed off some roots that had died from root rot. The leaves went from red (in n June) to green (in September) and then the leaves started to die and fall off. The stem is green and looks okay, and there are seeds where the leaves are falling. I only water when the soil dries up. Initially I decided the tree is probably fine and wait and see what spring brings, but now I’m a little concerned again.
Elizabeth,
All you can do is wait and see, but it would be happier planted in the ground.
My 2 japanese maple trees are in large pots, outside on patio. We are in NorCal (San Jose area) and have gone from drought conditions & hot weather to rain for days. During drought, I tried to water twice a week, then leaves turned brown and fell off. I hoping trees come back this Spring, but so far nothing. I’ll do the ‘scratch’ test, tho. Is tree care different in pots? Thank you.
Yolanda,
Tree care in pots is challenging. If you miss one watering, you could easily lose your trees.
I live in Missouri and a few years ago we planted an Emperor Japanese Maple tree in memory 9f my late husband. Tree had been flourishing and was beautiful until now. Brown dried upbleaves still,hanging on and no signs of new growth. I’ve seen several in the vicinity that are already leaves out. Did the scratch test on bark and branches are tan, no green. We are all upset that it appears dead. Any suggestions? If it’s dead do I try to dig up root ball, or cut the tree?
Sharon,
According to your scratch test it’s sounds like the tree is dead. By now the buds should at least be swelling and showing signs of life. I’d dig out the root ball. I suspect the tree was planted too deep or in wet soil. When planting the root ball should be at least one inch if not 2″ above grade.
The tip on my Japanese maple sapling is dead when is the best time to trim the tip what can I do to keep it from dying.
Adrianna,
You can trim the tip anytime you think it needs pruning. If your tree is in wet soil, get it into a dry location, other than that, not much you can do but wait.
Hi I am following up a question I asked about a week ago regarding coral bark Japanese maple. Thanks.
Is my dwarf maple dying? We transplanted it 2 weeks ago and it seemed to be doing well until yesterday when the leaves started to droop.
From the advice on this website I would think we have over-watered the tree since we have had a lot of rain and I have added some extra water. But the soil is mostly sandy, so I am a bit confused.
I don’t think it matters, but it receives a bit more sunlight then before.
Are there any remedies I should be looking at? I know it is difficult without knowing the problem.
George,
If you transplanted your tree after it leafed out that will shock the tree and possibly, if not likely, kill it. Planting can be done at any time of the year, digging a plant can only be done when the plants are dormant. Not much you can do, just hope for the best. Do not fertilize.
I should add that when I transplanted that I mixed up some (somewhat sandy) soil with peat and some Plant-tone organic fertilizer.
George,
Back filling when planting with a mix like that can create a situation where water can get into the soil but not drain out if your soil drains poorly. When planting I always back fill the the soil that I took out of the hole. Your tree could have too much water around the roots. If you just planted it you can still raise it.
Mike,
Thanks for the replies. From your response. I believe I might have shocked it to death with the transplant – the leaves had just come out two weeks earlier. It looked great for two weeks now and just started drooping 2 days ago.
Anyhow, I added the peat and Plant-tone to the soil I had dug out and “back filled” with that mix. The soil is mostly sandy (this is Long Island) but I would like to save this tree if possible – so I will dig it up and lift it a bit. The leaves are drooping but there is still a bit of life in the trunk.
Again, many thanks for the replies. George
Hi Mike,
I apparently planted a day-lily too close to my Coral Bark Japanese Maple over the weekend. This morning I awoke to find one substantial branch is wilting (adjacent to the side I planted on), so I must have compromised a root. Is there any hope of this branch recovering, perhaps after dropping the affected leaves? Is there anything I can/should do?
I am given to understand that maples have a secondary set of leaves they can draw upon when needed.
Thanks for any counsel you can offer,
Christian,
I doubt that it has anything to do with what you planted. Probably vertiulum wilt, google that.
Hi Mike,
Thank you for your reply!
This happened very suddenly (practically overnight) over the course of the weekend (and it was very hot). Could the wilt really occur so suddenly?
If it is wilt, are there any treatments you personally prefer?
All the best,
Christian
I live in southeastern part of TN. I bought and planted a coral bark Japanese maple last October. This spring it had aphids and ants which I treated but the top leaves were starting to show distress at this point. It is July and now a lot of the leaves, probably 60-70% are brownish red or starting to turn that color. The tree gets a lot of sun, so I’m not sure if that is a problem or not.
So my questions are:
Will my tree put on leaves next year if it loses them before the fall?
Do I need to transplant it some place where it gets more shade?
Is there anything I can do for it now to help it out this summer?
Thanks for any feedback
TJ,
It could be just sun burn or it might have dried out at some point. I would move it to a spot where it gets more shade if it has been recently planted. If not, move this fall, after Thanksgiving. As long as wood is viable it will make new leaves. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
Hello,
I would like to know what’s happening to my store-bought new Acer dissectum, which is in it’s original pot (2 months). Since I’ve acquired it, it has been loosing leaves that first change to red and yellow color and then dry and die. Can you help me please? It’s my favorite tree and I would be extremely sad if it died. I added some moss to its earth so it won’t loose moisture, as it is very hot here.
Thanks!
Darya,
Your tree is drying out and burning up. Even planted in the ground dissectums can and will burn when it’s really hot. But in a nursery container it happens faster and sooner. It really should be in the ground, in an area where it gets about 50% shade.
Hi I recently purchased a potted green leafed Japanese maple. After I pruned a few branches, the entire tree started to drop all of its leaves. I noticed small webs under the leaves and sprayed with an organic pesticide. The leaves are still dropping. They are turning brown at the edges and curling and then dropping. The soil also has a hard time drying out. I have withheld water now for a week. I have noticed that the soil I purchased it in is clay. Should I remove all the soil given all the issues and replace with better draining soil? I have done the finger nail test and it’s green underneath. I have performed this all over the tree and it seems fine. New buds seem to be appearing but when new leaves emerge they quickly turn brown at the edges and dry. Any help would be great thanks!
I forgot to add that I am in Florida in the middle of summer and the tree is in full shade with plenty of bright indirect sun light.
David-Paul,
It sounds to me like the tree is either planted too deep or it is too wet, or probably both. Replacing all the soil might not help because putting well drained soil in a hole that does not drain just creates a bathtub like environment for the roots of the trees. If this is the case the tree needs to be raised slightly so the top of the root ball is about 2″ above grade, then soil mounded over that with a light layer of mulch. The roots have to be able to transfer oxygen through the soil to the roots.
Mike,
I just bought a Crimson Queen Japanese Maple from a Home Depot. It was in the back seat of my car, but the leaves were dried and shriveled up by the time I got home (No more than 30 minutes). Should I take this back and exchange it? Or is there hope it will revive. It passed the fingernail test with good results.
Thanks,
Byron
Byron,
Tough call but if they have another nice one it might be a good idea. A hot car really shouldn’t do that, had to be extremely dry when you got it. It’s likely survive but having it make new leaves this late in the season just to have them freeze is a bit risky as well.
Hi, I planted two rather large green japanese maples 2 years ago here in Northern California. They looked great and exploded with growth in the spring, it’s now November and about a month ago leaves on parts of both trees started turning brown and shriveling up. As you may know we do not get rain all summer and I did not deep water them much at all…they were just on a rather minimal drip system. I’m thinking they didn’t get enough water over the summer. I am concerned because now both trees are just full of shriveled/dried up leaves. I have one other maple on my property (mature) that still has a full canopy of green leaves. Since it’s already Nov., should I deep water them now? Any other suggestions?
Gregg,
Not much you can do now but wait until spring. If they are dry just water them really well at least once before winter. Could be drought, but any kind of drip should have been enough for them. Could be something else. Spring will tell you how healthy they are.
I have a beautiful 8 year old Emperor Maple. Last fall it didn’t drop all of its leaves. This spring, it’s only leafing out sparcely. We had a mild winter for PNW. Not much freezing weather or precipitation. Any thoughts?
Sallie,
I really don’t know. Is it leafing out over the entire tree, or just one side? See this article; https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2020/01/why-is-one-side-of-my-japanese-maple-or-just-one-large-branch-completely-dead/
2 weeks ago (April 5th or so) my Tamukeyama Japanese maple was leafing out beautifully. It’s in a container, so it spent the winter in an unheated garage. Then last week I brought it outside for some sun and fresh air – that day it was 61 degrees but and a little windy. after a few hours I brought it back indoors because the it was getting very gusty. It looked fine for about a week. Now all the leaves are dry and crispy and falling off. I’m afraid it’s dying!!! I’m very conservative about watering it and use a moisture meter, si I don’t think overwatering is an issue. The trunk and branches look healthy. any suggestions? I’m heart-sick. I don’t want to lose this beatiful tree.
Larry,
It very well could have gotten too dry in the garage over the winter. Often times that kind of damage won’t show up until the tree tries to leaf out. all looks good for a while, then it fails. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
We have a 25 year old maple planted about 20 years ago. The local nursery planted the tree. It is supposed to be a good species for the hot sunny CA Central Valley. It has always had a beautiful canopy even through the extended drought. The last 3 years we have had some big rain storms and cool rainy weather with no significant frost in our location. This April the whole canopy is thinned out, the leaves are small, yellow and wimpy. There are significant dead branches of two to three inches around that are dead to the main tree limbs. This thinning and yellow leaves is system wide. Should we baby this or take it out?. It was a tall, gorgeous specimen tree.
Shar,
I’d probably give it a chance. I’ve seen Japanese maples make some pretty amazing come backs. Just make sure there is not excessive water pouring around the tree like from a downspout.
Thanks!
My maple suffered lack of water last year and the top of the trees leaves fell off. This spring there is still no growth on the top of tree but the bottom is fine. Should i wait it out? prune it? Is there a way to test branches for life?
Thank you
Megan,
Those branches are probably dead and should be removed, but test them first. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
We just transplanted a Japanese Maple tree that my friend didn’t want from the house that she bought. My husband planted it and not very deep I’ve been watering it not very much due to the rain. We put a small amount of Sta-Green indoor and outdoor all purpose plant food. Says good for flower gardens, shrubs and trees. Guaranteed not to burn. I just noticed today that in the middle of the tree the leaves are all brown. I’m very nervous that it’s dying. Please advise.
Charity,
I’m guessing that you transplanted it out of season. Once trees leaf out they should not be dug until November. Not much you can do but wet the leaves and hope for the best.
Hi Mike, I live in London, England and have just bought 3 baby JM trees, approx 40-50cm tall. I put one in a large 30cm pot and the other two stayed in the containers they were in. All the leaves from the potted one wilted and died and I am left with just the stem, the others seem to be growing well. I moved it back into the original pot it came in but it still has no branches or leaves, the stem is still green and firm when I scratched it. I am a total newbie at gardening and love these trees, any advice would be helpful as I keep reading different things. Especially any advice on what size pot to put them in at this stage. Thanks so much!
Sam,
It sounds like the roots were cut, broken or disturbed when you move it to the new pot. The new pot should have been if you can do so without root damage. Or . . . you might have fertilized it, and that very well could cause the damage that you describe. All you can do now is wait.
Hi Mike, I live in Madison, Wisconsin and have a ten year old Bloodgood Acer. It has been spectacular for many years and then last year, (2019) I noticed many of the branches had not leafed out in Spring. It is near two others that are just fine. I left it alone, consulted with the nursery where I purchased it all those years ago and he said to leave it, let it recover. This spring, 2020, all the others are leafed out, this one has no buds, nothing. I did the scratch test, and much of it is dead. The top branches feel pliant, and they seemed green but when I snapped them off, they were brown in the middle, like they were dead.
I did notice a sucker coming up from the trunk early this spring. Now several have sprung up and they are the same leaves as the bulk of this tree along with the others. My question is: should I trim back the whole tree and let these suckers grow to see what happens? The tree is trying to live and I want to do everything I can to maximize it’s chances. I really love this tree.
Thanks, Andrea
Andrea,
That’s really the only option you have besides removing the tree. You might be amazed in a year or two.
I recently purchased a green waterfall Japanese maple. We paid over $300. We had it planted around Mother’s Day. I live in Cape May , NJ area and we have had really windy few day. I noticed that some of the leaves on the ends are turning brown. I water it once a week, have not used any fertilizer. When watering I have been just going around the perimeter of the root ball. So nervous that I may have done something wrong. We do have sandy, clay like soil, but we added a good potting soil mixed in before planting. Help please🤷♀️
Eileen,
I wouldn’t be concerned about a little drying on the edges of the leaves. But that normally doesn’t happen this early in the season. Make sure it has enough, but not too much water. Soil needs to be moist and cool to the touch, but not soggy.
Hello,
I have a Viridis Japanese Maple and live in Toledo Ohio My tree has been doing great for about ten years. My wife decided she wanted it moved though So last year before it budded, I think in March, I moved the tree. Last year it looked good but less full from past years. I thought that was to be expected though. This year the tree began to bloom and the leaves looked great. It was still a great deal less full than before the move. Then, a couple weeks ago the leaves began turning brown and shriveling up. I don’t know if maybe I need a Tree I.V. or something else? Thank you for your help.
Steve,
A bit puzzling, could have been a late frost. But about all you can do is give it some time and see how it responds.
Okay thanks Mike. I appreciate the help.
Hi Mike,
I planted a RM I was given about 5 years ago here in Western Mass. It was 3″ tall and half a centimeter wide when I got it (basically a small twig). It seems to have grown very well–6 hours of sun in the morning and shade most of the rest of the afternoon. It now stands about four feet tall at its tallest point and is pretty leafy I read that JMs should be shielded from wind, and since it was getting taller with still very thin branches I put a garden stake around the top and middle to hold it up throughout this past winter (which was very gusty). Last week I took off the stake, and the main branch is now leaning over about a foot down from the top at a 60 degree angle. It otherwise looks perfectly healthy. Do you have any insights about this? I thought perhaps this one is a weeping variety, but upon further exploration it kind of seems like a purple ghost or emperor or bloodgood. The leaves are 5 pointed, have a lacy edge and are bright wine red in spring and then seem to go to maroon then dark green. For now I have put the stake back, but this time looser and following the angle of the bend while still holding it up. Any insight would be appreciated here. Thanks!
Claire,
I don’t know, a five year old tree, upright variety, probably no longer needs a stake, but I guess leave it on until next spring. ???
Hi There,
We live in Manchester (UK)
We bought a house about three years ago.
There was a Japanese Acer Tree in the garden growing to one side of a Pagoda (I would say maybe 7-10 years old).
The tree has always seemed very healthy and thick with foliage.
Towards the end of last year we did some work in the garden and ran an underground electric cable to the Pagoda (for an electrical supply on the Pagoda). In order to do this, we had to cut through some roots in order to bury the cable deep enough.
This year the tree only has leaves on one side (on the higher branches).
There are some leaves on other branches, but very small. About half the tree is without leaves.
We’re obviously upset this has happened, and we know why.
Is there any chance this tree might recover in time, or is one side of the tree now dead?
Would it be best to have a tree specialist look at the tree to determine how best to save it?
Or should we have the tree removed and re-plant another tree?
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thanks
Jamie
Jamie,
I guess that depends on how patient you are. Me? I’d just give the tree some time and see what it does. If those branches are dead remove them, a dead branch is not coming back to life. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
The tree clearly is not dead so it might recover nicely in a couple of years.
Hi Mike,
I’d just like to say what a great guy you are.
You must be a very busy person, yet you give your time to reply to some idiot (me) that cut through tree roots.
People like you deserve all the success in the world.
Many Thanks!
Jamie
My tree dried up in the late summer last year – all leaves turned brown and dried. It was my fault, I did not water it for couple of months. This spring only leaves at bottom 15% came out. Nothing on rest of tree. Can it be saved? Should I cut off the dead parts. Thanks for any advise.
Anil,
Remove the dead branches and hope that the growth that you see is from above the graft union. As long as the leaves look like they did before it should be fine.
Thank You very much Mike, Will do.
Hello Mike,
I just purchased 2 young, potted Japanese maples, and I mistakenly left them in my car for 1 hour in 100 degree weather (likely over 100 degrees in the car!).
When I returned, both maples’ leaves had shriveled up, and their upper stem and their lateral shoots had begun to pale and turn yellowish:
Maple 1: https://i.imgur.com/sxqNncb.jpg
Maple 2: https://i.imgur.com/X9wnKvB.jpg
They seem to have really dehydrated in the 1 hour of heat. The soil remained moist, with a layer of plastic bag over it.
I am still a beginner so I do not know what to expect. How serious is this? Will the maples live? If so, what will the regrowth process be like? Do I need to do some pruning or should I just let them be? I watered them just once and placed them in the shade for now. I really appreciate your time used to answer my questions.
Thank you
Will,
All you can do now is keep them watered and shaded. I’d prefer they be put in the ground, even if only temporarily until they recoup.
I planted a beautiful tamukeyama Japanese maple in the spring (April, I believe). The leaves are turning orange-ish (not all of them yet but a lot of them). We’ve had a very hot summer in Washington DC – could it be from the heat? I think it’s gotten enough water – I water when we haven’t had rain for a few days.
Any thoughts? Many thanks. Definitely hoping this beauty can be saved!
Julie,
As long as the leaves are not dry and crispy I would not be concerned. Hot summer sun can change the leaf color.
Thanks, Mike. No, the leaves seem okay – not dry and crispy and the tissue below the bark is nice and green. Thanks so much for your reply – looking forward to a nice fall!
Mike,
I live in NC and planted an Tamukayema in my yard in Apr. Since then, it has slowly but steadily lost all its leaves by curling, drying up and falling off. Not one single leaf has grown over the past 5 months. I have been watering regularly. Not sure if it is due to roots being too deep or too much sun (original plant instructions said it is a full sun) plant. The bark is still firm and green if I scratch it with a nail.
Is it dead or is there still hope for it to revive?
Thanks for all you do!
Mouli,
Sounds like it is still alive. I think I can safely say that 1. It dried out and some point. Dry curly leaves indicate that. 2. It could be too wet, depending on how well the soil drains and what kind of soil is in the root ball. It could be just holding too much water. 3. It could be planted a bit too deep, that will cause the leaves to drop. After it goes dormant I’d raise it up a few inches then water as needed. Next spring put 2″ of mulch over it and water as needed.
Thanks Mike. Is full sun a problem? Also, how will the new growth come? From existing branches or from the main stem?
You are a life saver and awesome. There is so much of valuable info in your website. I’m glad to have found it.
I’m in Central Texas and after some online research I bought a 36” Fireglow Japanese Maple tree this spring.. I’m wondering if my planting idea was good or not? I repotted in a slightly larger pot (but not a great deal larger) using nursery recommended high quality soil. Then I dug a hole in my bed and added a layer of small rock in the bottom, next I put the potted tree in the hole & backfilled around the pot & lightly mulched. I did this because I was concerned I might need to lift the pot & take it inside during a cold snap this winter. We typically have fairly mild winters but we can get a few nights down to about 26 to 30 degrees. It’s now early October and lately I’ve noticed the edges of every leaf have browned. I have used no fertilizer & there’s definitely not too much sun & it gets twice weekly watering from our irrigation system. I’m thinking the drying edges are from hot late summer winds but I would appreciate your thoughts. Going into fall now should I just go ahead and plant my baby in the ground? I guess I’m second guessing my earlier decision and would like your input. Thank you so much!
Susan,
I’m sure the tree is fine, brown edges on leaves is somewhat normal, especially in Texas. But I would get it out of the pot and put it in the ground permanently. You should not have to bring it in. I have Japanese maples survive temperatures as low as 15 below zero.
Hey Mike — I bought a Japanese maple back in the spring and planted it this summer. It’s maybe 3 feet tall. It’s in shade, with only dappled light for a few hours a day. It hasn’t grown much, but it kept its leaves and leaf color. Now, in early October, it is losing leaves quickly. I live in New York City. I’ve read elsewhere that the leaves should turn, then not drop off until November. Should I be worried? And if this is a sign of something else, what might it be, and what should I do? Thanks so much.
Clay,
I wouldn’t be concerned. It might have dried out at some point, a little stressed, but I’m sure the tree is just fine as long as it is not in wet soil or planted too deep.
I have a Japanese maple that took root under another tree. It stayed there until it got too big (approximately 6 feet tall). I dug it out this past Thanksgiving weekend (it was a little warm that day) and moved it to a new location. The new location has a little more shade than the other location, but it is a better location. It is now mid-April and it is not showing any signs of budding. The branches are all pliable and they look healthy, but there are no signs of leaves. How long do I wait to see if the transplant is successful?
Jenn,
Until the tissue below the bark appears to be failing just leave it as is, water as needed. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
I have a Japanese maple seedling, 4 months old. It got its’ first two proper leaves, but then stopped growing completely. It has been 1month since any new growth has happened.
Bradley,
It sounds like it’s not happy. Maybe the soil is too wet and the roots can’t breath. If in a pot slide it out and re pot in a bigger pot with a very loose potting mix that drains well.
Just as our Japanese maple Seiryu began to leaf out in early April this year, the leaves on most of the branches have died. There was no sign this tree was in decline last season . The tree has been in our garden approximately 6-7 years and is about 13 feet tall. Other than worrying that it is verticillium wilt, its roots appear to be girdling at the ground surface and here in the Pacific Northwest we have been experiencing more drought than ever before. I scratched the surface of all the declining branches and so far see green just beneath the surface so there is still some life there. I fear it’s a goner though. Do you have any other thoughts? Do you recommend a soil test for verticillium?
Kathy,
Could it be frost or freeze damage? Other than that, not a lot you can do. Not sure who might be able to test for verticillium wilt.
We did have a late frost which would be such a relief actually. That wouldn’t cause the tree to completely die I would hope. We are giving it some time to see if it might recover before doing anything drastic. There is a local laboratory that can do a verticillium test for a fee which we may do if the tree doesn’t recover.
Thank you for your input.
I have a maple that’s about 8-10 years old.
This spring, I have 1 shoot with bright leaves at the base of the tree. Nothing else.
Most branches seem to have buds, but they are not progressing.
A few years ago, something similar happened on a smaller scale, so I just cut out the “dead” branches.
But I can’t cut back EVERYTHING…… Can I?
Martha,
It doeesn’t sound good. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
I live in an HOA. 3 years ago we got new gardeners and they trimmed my maple tree into a round bush. It has slowly died back since. Each year I removed the dead limbs and stems. This year it is totally dead. Did they kill it or did it get diseased. It was fine until they trimmed it. Is it safe to plant another tree in that spot?
Collette,
I don’t think the pruning three years ago killed it. Is the soil possibly too wet were it’s at. Downspout dumping water near the tree? The soil I’m sure is fine as long as it’s not soggy.
Hi Mike,
I live in Colorado. I planted a crimson queen Japanese maple into a big pot this Spring.
The maple was looking great until two weeks ago the leaves were getting brown and now most of them are yellow. We got a lot of rain lately. I checked the pot and noticed that there was no drainage hole and a lot of standing water inside the pot. I drilled a few holes at the bottom of the pot and removed all the yellow leaves. I checked the maple it is still alive.
Should I do any thing for the root? Should I move it back into the house before Winter? (Now it is at the front yard, we have a lot of snow in the winter).
Thanks a bunch!
It clear just about drown in that pot with no drainage. Do not keep in inside over the winter, it needs to go dormant. It would be much happier in the ground. If it dries out a bit, but not too dry, it should set new buds.
Hi Mike,
i live in NJ and I purchased a Japanese waterfall maple on 6/2./21. My landscaper planted it 2 1/2 weeks ago. Last week I noticed the leaves were browning and some fell off. Now there are are a lot of leaves on the ground and I noticed new seed pods also?
I would hate for this tree to die. Please help.
Hi Mike,
i live in NJ and I purchased a Japanese waterfall maple on 6/2./21. My landscaper planted it 2 1/2 weeks ago. Last week I noticed the leaves were browning and some fell off. Now there are are a lot of leaves on the ground and I noticed new seed pods also?
I would hate for this tree to die. Please help.
Thanks
Joy
Joy,
Something is seriously wrong. One of three things. Too deep, too wet or too dry. It has to be one of those things.
Thanks for the quick reply. I will have it dug up and check. I was told to water more snd it got worse. I am thinking to deep or wet. My soil is heavy clay and they mulched very heavy over the plant.
I removed the mulch from the top of the plant from the top of the tree. The root ball was planted an inch higher than the level dirt and it looks like the hole is the size of the root ball.
with my water meter the root ball is dry the clay outside the root ball is wet.
my landscaper will not be here till Thursday or Friday it’s too big for me to take out . I think the hole Should be much wider and what should I put in the bottom of the hole to help with drainage ????
continued from July 26, 2021
I took the mulch away from the top of the tree the tree was planted 1 inch above the ground the root ball looks like it’s the same size as the hole.
With my water meter the root ball is very dry the surrounding soil is very wet.
my landscaper is coming on either Thursday or Friday the tree is too large for me to take out and dig a big hole what should I tell him to put on the bottom of the hole to help with drainage and how wide should the hole be?
sorry for the duplicate post
Hello!
I purchased an Orange Dream in May that was healthy. We put the tree in a pot on our balcony which an area with full sun and lots of wind (this spot offered the best view of the tree from our apartment but we knew we might have to move it if the conditions ended up being too harsh). After a couple summer storms on hot days, the new leaves on the tree started to turn brown around the edges and fall off the tree. Also the new growth on the tree really slowed down. We thought it might be because of the sun/wind so we move the tree to a different balcony that has shade most of the day (the tree gets morning sun and is shaded by 10am) and is also sheltered from the wind. But the leaves are still turning brown (some look spotted by I’m not sure it’s leaf spot) and falling off. I’ve attached a few pictures for reference. (To be clear, the tree lives outside. These pictures were taken as we were moving the tree to the other balcony which it why the tree is inside lol) Thank you so much!
https://flic.kr/p/2mgsseE
https://flic.kr/p/2mgwmfr
Gabrielle,
Orange dream is really sensitive to a lot of sun so the shade is better. When watering don’t wet the leaves, just the soil in the container. Use only a super slow release fertilizer or something organic. I think in the shade it will do better if you give it some time.
We have a Japanese maple about 18 years old. We live in the Northern California where the summers are hot and dry. In July this year several branches dried up. I discovered that our drip system was significantly clogged, so I fixed the irrigation. However the tree has continued to lose branches and many of the remaining branches are dead on the sunny side.
My question is whether I can cut back limbs as big as 3” to the healthy bark, and what time of year should I do this?
Paul,
First of all, make sure those branches are really dead. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead. If they are dead, then it really doesn’t matter when you remove them and you need to remove them. But if the tissue is still green, give the tree some time until late spring.
I have a young orangeola that received too much sun and all the leaves were scorched. The few leaves that are left have brown edges. It it to late to save it? I have it in the shade now but I’m not sure if I shout cut it back or leave it alone. Please help I really don’t want to lose this tree.
Katti,
More than likely it will come back fine next spring. But I’m concerned how you got it into the shade. Was it planted in the ground? For how long? Moving it while not dormant can really harm a plant.
*Should
Hi I am having same problem,
The tree branch i have scratched and it is green but pretty much all the leaves have curled and fallen off. I have not planted it in the garden its in a fairly big pot. I think it has drain holes at the bottom but not sure..
Scott,
I’m guessing it dried out at some point. I’d get it in the ground.
I just planted mine about 3-4 weeks ago. I live in northern Illinois. It’s a small maybe 2-3ft tall tree. The leaves have all fallen off and after the first week we had a ton of rain I noticed the tree started to lose the leaves and the soil sunk. Is my tree dead? Should I move the tree and add more compost to raise it up again or should I wait until spring since it is so late I’m the season?
Marc,
If you suspect that your tree is planted too deep or in a wet area, go ahead and correct the problem now. The tree will be fine come spring.
I have a Japanese maple that was planted in the ground about 3 years ago . It has been growing and looking fine till just a couple
Weeks ago and the leaves are brown and curled up. The trunk and part of the limbs are a tan color and some branches are purple . I recently about 2 months ago put new landscaping fabric down and covered with pine straw.. it looks very dry but when I dug around the roots the soil was pretty wet. We haven’t a whole lot of rain but about 2 weeks ago it rained for a solid week.. I’m thinking maybe it’s overwatered .. anything I can do to fix it ?
Rachel,
Usually if a tree is too wet the leafs will drop, not get crispy and curl up. Crispy is usually too dry. It might leaf back out, just give it time. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.