Browning of top branches of Japanese Maple leaf tree

Discussion in 'Maples' started by cdanderson, May 27, 2008.

  1. cdanderson

    cdanderson Member

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    I moved into a new house 2 years ago. I have a Japanese Maple Leaf tree. The tree bloomed beautifully last year, but this year, our weather has been colder than usually with night-time frosting. The trunk of the tree looks very healthy, and has small healthy patches of leaves branching off the trunk. The top of the tree where the leaves typically bloom are brown and dry looking with absolute no leaves or buds. Is the tree dead, if not what should I do.
     
  2. bonsai MD

    bonsai MD Member

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    the tree isnt dead. the upper part probably is though. cut back those braches to the trunk and seal the wounds with wood glue. its the poor mans tree cut paste. cut back to the leaves that grew this year and hope for warmer weather next spring. most maples cant withstand a hard early freeze. thats probably what did your tree in.
     
  3. cdanderson

    cdanderson Member

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    Clarify please. Are you saying cut away all the branches at the top that are brown and brittle, or are you saying cut the entire limb off the tree. The limbs appear healthy, its the branches that are branching off the limbs that are all brown and dead looking. Regarding the glue, is there any particular kind of wood glue, or just the wood glue you would get from a place such as Home Depot or Lowe's.
     
  4. whis4ey

    whis4ey Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Just cut off the brittle branches and do not use a wood glue of any sort
     
  5. cdanderson

    cdanderson Member

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    Thank you.
     
  6. kaspian

    kaspian Active Member 10 Years

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    Yeah, jeez, don't do the wood glue. Plants have their own ways of sealing off areas of dead tissue. The important thing is not to prune too radically or too close to the branch or trunk.

    It sounds like your tree is basically okay. It's just got some dead top-growth, maybe due to late frosts.

    There are two ways to go. Either prune the tree at a point just above where healthy new growth is appearing, or just sit back at let nature take its course, and prune later -- anytime from this fall to next spring -- after you are absolutely sure which parts of the tree are dead and which parts are alive.

    Meanwhile, don't over-fertilize or otherwise pamper the tree (because you don't want to encourage weak new growth that will be killed off by next year's weird weather). But make sure it's got adequate nutrients -- for instance by giving it a one-time feeding with a balanced fertilizer.
     
  7. cdanderson

    cdanderson Member

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    Thank again for the help.
     

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