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What’s up with my silver maple tree? #642364

Asked May 28, 2020, 12:03 PM EDT

I noticed today that my 50 year old silver maple tree is loaded with black curled up leaves. Have never seen this before. It this possibly related to our frost earlier? or the excessive rain we’ve had in the last couple of weeks?

Kent County Michigan

Expert Response

Anthracnose can be a fairly common spring disease on maple leaves in some years. There are several different fungi that cause anthracnose. One of the fungi (Kabatiella) causes newly developing leaves to shrivel and turn black, while older leaves develop dark brown lesions along the leaf veins. Fungal leaf diseases do not often threaten  the long term health of the tree,  but can be severe under  certain conditions.  Wet springs, and much of Michigan has seen a wet spring this year, usually cause increases of fungal diseases.  Read more here:    https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/fact-sheets/maple-anthracnose

If it becomes worse, the recommendation is to involve a Certified Arborist, first to 
be sure that it is indeed anthracnose, and second for your peace of mind going 
forward.  Find one or more Certified Arborists in your zip code at www.treesaregood.org    Go to the Find an Arborist tab.  Arborist evaluations  are not expensive and where you can learn exactly what is going on in your tree. 

Good luck!
An Ask Extension Expert Replied May 29, 2020, 5:17 AM EDT

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