Can I save a dying Japanese Maple?

Posts

• Pete.8 Posts: 11,340

  April 2023

  Hi Martin and welcome to the forum.
  You must be gutted that such a beautiful tree has declined so badly.
  
  I can't be sure, but I may be able to spot signs of Verticillium Wilt which often affects acers. I have one with it.
  
  Some of the branches appear to have black bruises along the stems between the leaf nodes. So part of a branch looks OK, but with a dead bit in the middle. If you agree, that is a sign of VW.
  Also, if you cut a branch - looking at the cut end, if you can see black rings inside, that another sign of VW.
  Some more info here-
  https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/verticillium-wilt
  
  It could also be that the tree suffered in the drought last year, so it may just be general die-back.
  Or it may be that the drought last year weakened the tree and allowed VW to get a hold.
  
  Mine still grows OK, but it is more like a multi-stemmed shrub now.
  Each spring I cut back any wood that is obviously dead, but try to avoid cutting back into wood that is still alive - acers can bleed a lot of sap once spring arrives.
  If it is VW, dispose of any diseased wood in your green waste.

  
  Billericay - Essex
  
  Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
  Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

  1
• martin_j_gregory Posts: 3

  April 2023

  Thanks for the detailed response @Pete.8  . Yeah, it really was a beautiful tree, I'll take a close look for signs of VW as you suggested. Thanks again

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• martin_j_gregory Posts: 3

  April 2023

  I removed one dead branch. No obvious black rings. I scraped some bark back too. There is no moisture in this branch, brittle snap, completely dead

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• Pete.8 Posts: 11,340

  April 2023

  The cut end looks hopeful then
  I can see an obvious black ring on mine if I cut a branch.
  But there is obviously quite a lot of die-back and it could still be VW - time will tell.
  
  To check what is and what isn't alive, use the fingernail test.
  Starting toward the top of the tree scrape a little of the bark skin with a fingernail.
  If you can see green underneath then it's alive.
  If there's no green it's dead.
  Work you way down until you see some green - below that it's still alive.
  You may need a knife as you get toward the trunk.
  Not easy on quite a big tree, but I don't know what else to suggest.

  
  Billericay - Essex
  
  Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
  Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

  1
• Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,134

  April 2023

  Even though the one branch didn't show the black ring, in your last photo you can see the VW in the dark patch under the bark and the fine dark brown lines running up and down the stem. It certainly does have a bad attack, but it's also typical in terms of the regrowth that you can see below the dead top. I'd suggest just taking off all the dead wood, disposing of it safely as suggested above, cleaning all your tools well, and waiting. It is unlikely to get to its previous height. Often a bad attack like this is a result of adverse weather conditions in a particular year.

  1
• Pete.8 Posts: 11,340

  April 2023

  Cambridgerose12 said:

  Even though the one branch didn't show the black ring, in your last photo you can see the VW in the dark patch under the bark and the fine dark brown lines running up and down the stem. It certainly does have a bad attack, but it's also typical in terms of the regrowth that you can see below the dead top. I'd suggest just taking off all the dead wood, disposing of it safely as suggested above, cleaning all your tools well, and waiting. It is unlikely to get to its previous height. Often a bad attack like this is a result of adverse weather conditions in a particular year.

  I'm afraid I'm inclined to agree.
  If there's a straw available - I'll grab it

  
  Billericay - Essex
  
  Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
  Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

  0