I am new to this forum - and need some urgent advice. I live in Kent (SE corner of the UK) - moving here last year. I have a collection of 100+ varieties of Japanese Maples I had built up over the past 10 years. All are in pots - despite the fact that some specimens are quite large (Katsura of 4 meters). Most of my collection (all the smaller trees) are in 'storage' in my brother's garden - at least until I can get my shade house up and running. The ultimate plan is to get most out of their pots and into the garden. I have been busy working the last month - so have had little time to inspect the JMs I have with me (about 30 or so). Tonight I noticed that some of them are coming into leaf - but only at the branch tips. On closer inspection I have discovered that 95% of the leaf buds have been 'removed' leaving blind branches except for the very end. This has happened on most of the Dissectums and on one or two other red leaf varieties (Skeeters Broom, Azuma Murasaki, etc). A number of these plants were real treasures - including a very large and beautiful Crimson Queen. All very upsetting. What I want is some information before I make any decsions about bringing the rest of the collection down. I hope someone might help! My questions are these. Firstly - has anyone experienced anything like this before? The buds have been 'removed' - and I suspect pecked-out by a bird (our garden is full of Chaffinches, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Long Tail Tits, Siskins, Bramblings, etc. Interestingly I haven't seen any Bullfinches that have a reputation for bud damage.). I guess there could be another explanation - but it seems very unlikely. Trees all over the garden have been 'hit' - some very badly - some not at all. The Katsura, all the Shirasawanums, Mikawa Yatsabusa, etc have escaped. Secondly - what's the prognosis? The Azuma Muraski is looks pretty much dead. The Crimson Queen has 95% of it's buds removed - will this keel-over too? Is there anything I could do to help save it? Thirdly - does anyone have any suggestions as to prevention in the future. I guess I could net the trees after leaf-fall - but that will be a monster job. Especially as I assume the net will have to stand proud of the tree. It will also turn the garden into an unsightly mess. I guess I could leave the trees in their pots and cage them - but that defeats the whole point of moving to the new house. Perhaps there is a spray I could use? Is there something like the lotion my mother used to paint on my fingernails to stop me biting them?!! I don't want to harm the birds - if it is them doing this damage. Any advice at all would be very gratefully received. If the trees that have been damaged so far die - I will be devastated.
i am sorry for you are you sure that is is birds that ruin your maples? snail can sometimes do that kind of thing if there are still some buds i am quite sure that the maples will recover and i hope so
You seem pretty sure on the diagnostic, and since you do not mention any associated blackening you are probably correct. What you describe could be compared, in terms of net result: loss of spring buds, to the damage caused by spring frosts, albeit without the loss of soft branch tissue which is destroyed in the case of frost. The feedback received in this forum from people who have gone through frost damage is that, if only the buds suffered, then most of the trees recover when secondary buds are activated and take over. The usual advice is that you should do your best to avoid additional stresses to the trees and watch for opportunistic pathogens (fungi & bacteria) that may try take over the weakened plant. Gomero
Bunz, I have had attacks like you describe a few times. Around here the culprit is house sparrows. My trees did recover in time but in the season that it occurred the plants were rather bare. House sparrows are so plentiful that trapping or cats has no effect. I have been wrapping my trees in netting each fall and unwrapping when them buds are close to popping. It is an extremely aggravating situation. A more aggressive and permanent solution would be most welcome.
My garden is full of birds, plenty of house sparrows. They never pick on the maples. One thing I do is that I have several bird feeders always full of sunflower seeds;..... if I were a sparrow I would rather munch the seeds than the maple buds ;-)) Gomero
same thing for me i live "in the forest" and i got plenty of sparrows, i never had such a problem are your sure of the origin of the issue?
I also agree with Gomero and Bigjohn. And live in a rural forested area with scads of birds. The cat does more damage trying to get to the birds... But, I've often heard of this kind of damage from the UK, I don't doubt birds is it. Nothing to do but hope, and as Gomero says watch out for pathogens. Sorry. -E
Has Kent been blessed with the Eastern Grey Squirrel from North America? If so, you'll find that they have an affinity for Japanese Maple buds (or any tree bud) and when overpopulated (as is most often the case), can be devestating.
i presume that spring freeze is the cause ,bird or mouse not cause this effect in my garden ,have you see spring freeze on your maples?
Guys, The house sparrow in Europe and the ones here are the same bird but with totally different environmental conditions. Here they are an absolute bane and one of only 2 birds not protected by the govt. They seem to destroy stuff as part of a strategy to out compete other birds. In some parts of Europe they are protected. Not long ago a HS was causing havoc in a building and they called in a shooter to deal w it. It caused an outcry! I spaced on the fact that Bunz is in UK. Here giving them more food is the opposite of a good strategy. I have trapped and destroyed quite a few. Squirrels too require management.
Just an update - and to say a big thank you to all who have replied so far. I'd still love to have more views on any options to protect the trees in future. I am 99.9% sure the damage is not Grey Squirrels. Although we live in a very rural area - we see very, very few in the garden. In the past 6 months I have only seen one. I'm very aware of these pesky critters - as when we lived in urban London - I had a couple of trees almost totally de-barked by a very persistnet squirrel problem. Consequently I keep my eyes peeled and many of the trees now sport 'trunk guards'. I also feed the birds. Sunflower hearts, peanuts and thistle seeds. Being a bird lover (until recently!) - we make sure that stocks of seed in the feeders never runs out. That makes me think that offering alternatives to 'Maple-buds-for-breakfast' isn't an option that works for me. I think the most likely culprites are Blue Tits. Whatever has done this has to be very agile - getting virtually to the end of branches and tweezering out the buds. The 'socket' where the bud sits is completly blind. However - I am keeping an open mind. And that brings me on to the comment/post that mentions 'Bud Freeze'. This is not something I have come across before - so I'd be very grateful if anyone can give me some more details on what this is, the conditions that cause it and the consequences of it. Once again - many thanks to all who have taken time to post.
jm (japanese maples) are sensible to return of freeze in open spring (in Italy is this period),jm have buds delicate and not prefere change initial conditions ,possible that this new house have different initial climate conditions ? p.s. if possible send a pics of your maples
Very true! In Britain, House Sparrow is a red-listed endangered species, having suffered a major collapse in populations. Cause unknown, despite extensive research. Typical example; House Sparrow population studies in Regents Park, London: Year - Count 1925 - 2,603 1948 - 885 1966 - 642 1975 - 544 1995 - 81 2000 - 8 2002 - 3 Data source - British Birds 94: 507 (2001) for the years up to 2000. The 2002 figure made the national news headlines.
I hope someone is clever enough to import the shortage. In Philadelphia it is by far the most prevalent species. There are perhaps a hundred birds (HS) on my block alone. House sparrows and pigeons account for 90% of the feathered flock in philly.
I have a pair in my garden this year for the first for many many years Maybe I am doing something right? Mind you ... I hope they leave the buds on my Japanese maples alone :)
We assume the buds have been removed but did we actually see the buds and now they are gone? If we are to place blame on the birds for our problem we should have ample proof showing from the tree that they are or have been the culprit. In some areas and in sporadic years some of the palmatum type Maples have been known to be hit by non infectious bud failure. We see the smaller than normal sized buds after the leaves fall off the tree and then in the Spring what is left of the buds that were once there simply do not ever swell and do not open. A rather common thing to see when those trees are also infected with Tight Bark (dry lesion form) and Verticillium alboatrum. Generally in the years that have hit Maples the worst, the non spreading (does not spread from tree to tree) blast form fungus hits the plants in late Summer, early Fall in some locations, overwinters on the tree during the Winter and destroys the dormant buds before the Spring leaf out. A fungicide spray in late Summer is the best preventative but since we do not know if and when we will be hit by the fungus, we cannot predict with certainty that our spray will be effective. In most years the fungicide spray almost becomes a wasted application unless we are in an area that is more susceptible to the fungus. Systemics, ground applied fungicides, will be of little to no preventative help to ward off the blast fungus. Jim
Dear Jim I just want to stress that I'm not saying for sure that it is bird damage - just that it looks like they are the most likely culprit. However I am interested in your comments about bud failure. The distribution of damage (across uppermost branches on the least damaged trees) suggest to me that this physical damage from an outside source. Equally that fact that a few of the branch tips have escaped, looks suspicious (even the Blue Tits struglle to get a grip here). I took some small twigs off one of the dissectums today - and had a good look under a low power microscope. In most cases the bud has completely gone - but on a couple of 'pairs' there is evidence that one bud has simply shrivelled. Perhaps this second bud was damaged - or it could be evidence of the fungal pathogen your describe. At this point (under higher maginification) I can almost imagine seeing some kind of fungal fruiting body in the vacant bud socket! In truth - it's very hard to manipulate the material and be definite about what I see. There are white threads and what look like crystalline structures - which could be fungal - or sap/sugar from the plant intself. I'd love to think you're right Jim. Peversely I'd rather it wasn't the birds - because I really like them! If you have any more information on this fungal disease - I'd be very grateful to hear. What sort of fungicide would you recommend - for instance? The rest of the tree looks in good condition - no sign of any tight bark. Although the dissectums have been hit hardest - some others have been affected as well. Moving from an urban location to a colder rural one may have had an effect. It's also windier - so the trees may have been under more stress (although the worst affected is in a VERY sheltered spot). All in all - I'm still not convinced of the cause and the way forward. The Crimson Queen has a spread of about eight feet - and is breaking just 4 leaves right now. All the other buds have gone. Personally I don't think the tree will survive - but I have everything crossed. It's in a sheltered spot, out of direct sunlight - being kept moist. Only time will tell.....
I'd doubt it is birds. What chances it is a browsing mammal? - Rabbit, Muntjac, and Chinese Water Deer are all possible in southeastern England; all are nocturnal to a greater or lesser extent. No idea what that thing is, but it isn't either a sparrow or a pigeon ;-)
