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100 year old maple... What do yellow leaves mean? #572947

Asked June 22, 2019, 12:53 PM EDT

I have a 100 year old maple in my back yard. On one branch leaves are turning yellow then brown. I have two more high branches with brown leaves. The branch near the ground has seeds set on it. I'm seeing this in less than 1% of the crown. What might be causing this? And what action should I take? Thanks for your help!

Oakland County Michigan

Expert Response

Hello,

A beautiful tree. This could be anthracnose, bacterial leaf scorch, or branches dying due to breakage or insect damage.

There are a couple ways to get a positive diagnosis.

You can send your pictures , along with samples, to MSU Plant Diagnostic lab, following their directions for taking correct samples-

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/oak_wilt_diagnosing_and_preventing

Or you can hire a certified arborist, one who has taken training in pests, diseases, and woody plant care, and has passed certification testing. The cost of hiring a certified arborist is not high compared to the cost of removing large trees. And, the arborist can diagnose the whole tree, telling you what all the problems are and give you care options. Find certified arborists by zip code here- www.treesaregood.org

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