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Japanese Maple disease

Last post 23-05-2012 7:45 PM by Pixham. 4 replies.

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  • 08/05/2012 05:23 PM
    • path
    • Lancashire
    • 08 May 2012
    • 2
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    I have a lovely Japanese Maple in my garden which has flourished for the past ten years. I have just noticed that some of the branches have died and they are covered with white crusty deposits.The newly emerged leaves look as though they are wilting.Please could anybody please identify what is wrong and do you think I will be able to save it." width="1" height="1" /> 
  • 08/05/2012 09:43 PM
    In reply to
    • madmuncher
    • Nottinghamshire
    • 20 Mar 2010
    • 140
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    That 'white and crusty stuff' is lichen. Itself its not doing any harm for you tree..it is just colonizing the dead branches that have died for some other reason.

    This spring has not been very kind for Japanese maples..first we had early warm weather that got trees into early growth..and then came the cold spell..and j. maples are not keen of cold..emerging new leaves can get frost bitten or go droopy and sulk.

    At the moment all you can do is wait and see how your tree will come through..give it a few more weeks and when we've got over worst of the spring weather, prune out all the dead growth.

    While the soil is moist..give your tree sprinkle of fish,blood and bonemeal to encourage some new growth..if you have some garden compost, mulch with that would not do harm neither...and with a bit of luck your tree will respond by sprouting some new growth.
  • 08/05/2012 11:08 PM
    In reply to
    • path
    • Lancashire
    • 08 May 2012
    • 2
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    Thank you so much for that information. I am so glad it hasn't got some dreaded disease.We love the tree and would hate to see it die.Can't understand though why complete branches seem to die off. It is one of those 'weeping' maples.
  • 09/05/2012 09:04 AM
    In reply to
    • madmuncher
    • Nottinghamshire
    • 20 Mar 2010
    • 140
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    "Can't understand though why complete branches seem to die off."

    It does happen..and it doesn't have to be anything drastic as disease..it can be something in environmental or just natural 'age'  thing.

    'Weepers' of any kind of trees do tend to get occasional dead branches in regular bases..I don't know why, but I suspect it has something to do with having to 'push' sap into branches against the usual flow direction..down..instead of up. And perhaps weather and temperatures does effect this so it cannot always happen resulting losses..??
  • 23/05/2012 07:45 PM
    In reply to
    • Pixham
    • Dorking
    • 23 May 2012
    • 1
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    In the past two Springs I have had similar occur to two acers, neither weeping. The previous year a neighbours false acacia was affected in the same way, and this year two widely separated beech bushes in a 3-year old hedge appear to have suffered the same fate. The symptoms are simple: buds appear as normal, even begin to break, then stop. The branches then die off. There is never any sign of disease or pests, just failure to grow followed by die back. I'm really concerned that the cause is some sort of virus or fungus, perhaps spread by birds, that's got established here. Any advice would be really welcomed!