What’s wrong with my maple? - Ask Extension
All of a sudden I have a third of my maple dying back. The leaves on the ends of the branches remained green till this week. Now they are shriveled as...
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What’s wrong with my maple? #576606
Asked July 03, 2019, 1:52 PM EDT
All of a sudden I have a third of my maple dying back. The leaves on the ends of the branches remained green till this week. Now they are shriveled as well. I’ve heard there are others with same problem in area. What can I do? This is probably twenty feet tall.
Oakland County Michigan
Expert Response
Hello!
The thinning of the canopy of your tree could have a number of different causes.
From the photos, it looks like the tree is planted in a yard. Has there been recent application of a broadleaf weed killer to turf around the tree? Maple roots are very close to the surface of the soil, which exposes them to the herbicides that we use on our lawns. This dieback could be a side effect of that application.
The relatively dramatic change in weather conditions this summer may also have caused stress to the tree. It's been very hot and dry these last few weeks. Does that tree receive any supplemental irrigation? Information on how much water a tree should have can be found at this link: https://www.canr.msu.edu/hrt/uploads/535/78626/FAQs-for-Helping-Your-Trees.pdf
Verticillium wilt is a fungal infection that clogs the vascular system of the plant that it infects, blocking the flow of water and nutrients to the limbs and branches Maples are susceptible to this disease, some of the symptoms of which are described here: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/2005/jun/071602.htm).
There are a few additional diseases and insect pests that cause branch death, though typically not throughout the canopy as quickly as this has occurred.
Contacting a certified arborist to complete an on site examination of the tree would be helpful. He or she can look closely at the dead branches for signs and symptoms. You can create a list of certified arborists in your area at: https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist
Finally, if verticillium wilt is suspected, you may want to have a sample tested at the MSU Diagnostics Lab, as this can influence what else you plant in that area (https://pestid.msu.edu/).
Regards,
The thinning of the canopy of your tree could have a number of different causes.
From the photos, it looks like the tree is planted in a yard. Has there been recent application of a broadleaf weed killer to turf around the tree? Maple roots are very close to the surface of the soil, which exposes them to the herbicides that we use on our lawns. This dieback could be a side effect of that application.
The relatively dramatic change in weather conditions this summer may also have caused stress to the tree. It's been very hot and dry these last few weeks. Does that tree receive any supplemental irrigation? Information on how much water a tree should have can be found at this link: https://www.canr.msu.edu/hrt/uploads/535/78626/FAQs-for-Helping-Your-Trees.pdf
Verticillium wilt is a fungal infection that clogs the vascular system of the plant that it infects, blocking the flow of water and nutrients to the limbs and branches Maples are susceptible to this disease, some of the symptoms of which are described here: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/2005/jun/071602.htm).
There are a few additional diseases and insect pests that cause branch death, though typically not throughout the canopy as quickly as this has occurred.
Contacting a certified arborist to complete an on site examination of the tree would be helpful. He or she can look closely at the dead branches for signs and symptoms. You can create a list of certified arborists in your area at: https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist
Finally, if verticillium wilt is suspected, you may want to have a sample tested at the MSU Diagnostics Lab, as this can influence what else you plant in that area (https://pestid.msu.edu/).
Regards,
Dear Becky
thank you so much for your thorough response! I do not use any chemicals at all on my lawn, so thinking the weather and maybe this fungus... hoping I don’t lose the tree as it has great meaning. I will contact an arborist following your link. Thank you again.
Peace
terri
thank you so much for your thorough response! I do not use any chemicals at all on my lawn, so thinking the weather and maybe this fungus... hoping I don’t lose the tree as it has great meaning. I will contact an arborist following your link. Thank you again.
Peace
terri
You're welcome.
Best of luck with the tree!
Best of luck with the tree!
