I have a huge Maple tree in my front yard. It's probably somewhere between 30 to 50 years old and stands up to 50 feet tall. We've lived here for 14 years. This summer the leaves have started dropping. They are dry and covered with a white powder. When driving down the street the tree almost has a silvery look to it. We LOVE this tree. I'm afraid it is dying. Can anyone tell me what is wrong and what we might be able to do?? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Some kind of powdery mildew it seems, don't think it will kill the tree though if it's a native maple.
Thanks for your response. Do you think it needs some sort of treatment? Or is there a chance it will not reappear next spring?
Can't think of much that could be done now, maybe a bark mulch over the root zone in early spring would help the general overall health of the tree. Destroying the fallen leaves is good practice. The powdery mildew seems dependent on weather conditions and air circulation , so it may not appear next year. There is some discussion concerning the mildew on maples if you "Search this Forum" for "powdery mildew".
