Japanese Maples are generally quite hardy and can be long lived. There’s just a few things to keep in mind for normal care. When problems occur, one of these may describe the problem and possible treatment.
Dying Leaves
Broken Limbs
Treating Pruning Cuts
Verticillium Wilt
Peeling Bark
Sunburned Branches
Exposed Roots
Dying leaves on a tree usually fall into two categories: tips of leaves or branches and whole sections of a tree.
With tips of leaves or leaves on the outer canopy, especially the top, the usual culprit is heat stress. This problem usually shows up in late summer when temperature is high and conditions are dry. Start watering the tree weekly with a good soak. It won’t help the dead leaves, but will help the tree deal with the heat better.
When whole branch sections have dying leaves, there may be a number of causes, usually not so good for the branch in question or even the whole tree. Look for peeling bark or other unusual appearance of the branch, especially closer to the main trunk of the tree.
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Broken branches usually need to be cut back to a branch fork. It is important to not cut a branch so short it cuts into the collar area of the branch fork.
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Pruning cuts on trees do not require any type of covering such as tar, etc. This is an old practice that has mostly fallen into disuse.
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This is a soil fungus that can attack a maple through the roots. There are some treatments for the soil. Sometimes a portion of the tree will die and the rest of the tree survives just fine. Other times the entire tree dies. Do not plant another maple in the same area that a maple had this disease before. It will just invade the new tree as well.
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Peeling bark can be indicative of problems. Sometimes insects can be at fault or there may be other problems. It is important to keep dying bark peeled back to solid wood, otherwise the loose material can become an environment for pests, etc. Verticillium wilt can also cause peeling bark.
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Japanese maples and particularly Lace leaf Maples are prone to sunburned branches if there is no foliage covering a branch. We try to direct new growth so as to cover exposed branches as much as possible.
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Exposed roots can be an indication of soil problems, usually excessively wet or compacted soil. Exposed roots can be covered with mulch if desired. Also do not pile soil above the normal soil line on a tree. This can be quite harmful to the tree.
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