Bloodgood Japanese Maple in distress!

Discussion in 'Maples' started by sgtmama, Jun 14, 2007.

  1. sgtmama

    sgtmama Member

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    I have a very large Bloodgood Japanese Maple near the front of my house that had begun to leaf out when the cold snap hit earlier this year. I was told to leave it alone and it would probably be fine. It does have leaves, but anywhere from 1-3 feet of the ends of the limbs are definately dead (the smaller twigs easily snap off). Many leaves have come out on the trunk, which I rubbed off, but now some of the leaves on the limbs are drying up and falling off. Is there something I can do to give this tree a better chance of survival?
     

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    Last edited: Jun 14, 2007
  2. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Cut the dead parts off. If it was doing well before the damage then all you can do is wait for it to grow back, hope it doesn't get hit again.

    Note that seedlings are sold in place of 'Bloodgood', yours looks like it may be one of those instead of the true item. The leaves it has now may be uncharacteristic, of course, due to them being small trunk sprouts produced after a traumatic episode.
     
  3. alex66

    alex66 Rising Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    use Sequestrene liquid (iron)or similar product but only iron "chelato"(chelato is italian word sorry i not found traslete)
    because normal iron is good for the another use es.antimusk for field;and like Ron write cut the dead parts off.
     
  4. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Only apply iron if a soil test indicates an iron deficiency.
     
  5. whis4ey

    whis4ey Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Alex ... the expression in English is 'chelated iron'
     
  6. Andrzej

    Andrzej Active Member

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    Does Nitrogen helps in this case too?
     
  7. cafernan

    cafernan Active Member

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    Is this the first time it happens?. Looking the place where it is planted and the branches affected, may be this has happend because of the hot of the roof that surrounds it which, by convection, burned the leaves.
    Regards
    cafernan
     
  8. sgtmama

    sgtmama Member

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    This is the first time this has happened. Even last summer with all the heat and drought it did fine. Thanks for the help.
     
  9. whis4ey

    whis4ey Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    I have a Sango kaku which has gone the same way this year with me. Normally I just trim back dead lengths like this to two good buds, but, like you, my tree is now too large for me to do this safely. So I just let it be and I don't look upwards :)
    I believe it is maybe a form of disease where the sap is restricted from reaching those nether reaches of the tree .... our experts here could comment on whether or not this is verticillium or pseudomas .........
    I don't believe there is a cure?
     
  10. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Yes: Coralbark maple appears to be even more apt to be infected and die back than other Japanese maple cultivars.
     

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