Thanks for the question. This looks like it could be herbicide damage. Some herbicides can even damage trees at some distance. Sometimes the labeling may not clearly state the risk. Some of these herbicides may not show any damage for months. Wait and see is the approach most suggested. Check out the following links for more information:

• https://vanburencd.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Aug2018_ImazapyrNightmare.pdf
• https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/herbicide-damage-to-landscape-plants/

I hope this is helpful,

Hello, thank you for responding to my question. However, I don't think that this is the problem. The area where these trees are located, is in a wild and completely natural area of our property. We have never used any herbicides of any sort in this area. In addition, even in the maintained areas of our yard, we don't use herbicides... We only use natural fertilizer and grass seed to try to control weeds. If you would like to see additional photos of the area in which the trees are located, just let me know and I can provide that as well. Or, if you'd like to see additional photos of the buds or the entire tree Talent just let me know and I will provide that as well. Again, herbicides have never been used in this area.

How close is the nearest road? Is in in a low spot? Wet or dry?How close are the trees together? Are there other trees unaffected? If so, what specie. Since each tree is a different genus, it rules out many diseases and suggest a cultural/ environmental Issue (although they may share some diseases). Please send picture. Pics of the whole tree(s). Hopefully we can figure this out.

It is on a private dead-end road.  The closest public road is 1/3 mile away....salt is never used....lots are large (2+ acres).  Trees are in a slight elevation above that of the home.  We live 1/3 mile from Lake Michigan is a somewhat sparsely populated area.  The property consists of rolling hills with beach grass and pine / deciduous trees with sandy soil.  There are other trees with aren't affected...all within close proximity to each other.  The Oak tree has large dead leaves (but could still be from last year...not sure)...but still has green little buds on it like it is early spring.  The oak also has all these little "sprouts" all over the place where the branches connect to the main tree trunk.  In addition, the Maple tree has all of its leaves crumpled and deformed...looks like a bunch of cauliflower clumps...but are still green.  Close to this tree is a Michigan Cherry...leaves are all withered and crumpled...but green.  On this tree it has a bunch of new buds like it is early spring....but no "sprouts" on the trunk.  There is a large Scotch Pine that died this spring...last year a similar large Scotch Pine right next to it.  We have had about 200 Scotch Pines that died in the back yard this spring...but there is a known blight that is killing them and you can actually see the cankers.  We don't see any of these cankers on the deciduous trees which are having issues.

Other trees surrounding the Oak, Cherry, Maple seem to be doing fine.  There are no issues with the White Pines, other Cherry trees, and other Maples and Oaks.  The area is a little crowded (natural) but we have been thinning the area to make it healthier...by removing a lot of the weakened and dying Scotch Pines.  The first shot is of the Maple; the second shot is the Oak; the third shot is the Cherry.  I have another shot (which would be more than the 3 allowed) which shows all three types of trees together....of which have the same issue.  They were doing fine last year.