Greetings again. I guess we are finally acknowledging what survived and what didn't over the winter. Our most curious loss is a Acer palmatum Karasugawa 5/6' that we planted two years ago. It has been happy and healthly for 2 summers and 2 winters but is very dead today. It appears to have budded perfectly then died. The variety is supposedly hardy to -15. It is possible we had a couple days in later spring where the wind chill could have reached -15, but the tree is in a fairly protected spot. Your thots? I haven't dug it up yet, curious to look at the root ball. Could such a brief cold blast have killed the tree? If so what happens to all the latent energy in the root ball? Thanks again for any and all advice! Marzette
It only takes hours below the minimum temperature for a particular plant. Japanese maples are borderline in USDA 5, perhaps your climate is just too cold. Don't know where you town is on the map, some parts do go up to USDA 7. http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/alaska.html
We are just north of Seattle with similar weather except ALOT more rain. The tree has been beautiful for the last 2 years in fairly identical winters. If the new leaf buds did freeze, what happens to all the latent energy in the root ball? Thinking perhaps it had to be something systemic given the trees prior excellent health. Thanks, Marzette
Sunset has you in Sunset 4 which should be plenty mild enough for a Japanese maple. (Seattle is in Sunset 5).
Yep, we are plenty mild for J maples and have many. Thus it is such a puzzler why we lost this Karasugawa.
Disease problems are common with Japanese maples, if you search this and other sites with gardening forums you will find much discussion.
