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Maple tree #878607
Asked July 24, 2024, 2:48 PM EDT
Crow Wing County Minnesota
Expert Response
Thanks for the question regarding your maple tree. As far as I can tell from the leaves, this seems to be a silver maple (Acer saccharinum).
I see two things that might be causing you concern:
1). Some leaves have “bumps” on them. These are maple galls and will cause no harm to the tree. They can simply be ignored. Here is some information about them:
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/maple-gall-mites-eriophyidae/
https://extension.psu.edu/leaf-galls-on-maple
https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef404
2). Secondly, I see a few leaves with blackened areas. I suspect this is a fungal disease called anthracnose. It is caused by a variety of different fungal species. It is not a significant threat to the health of the tree and doesn’t require treatment in most cases. See:
https://apps.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/plant/deciduous/maple/leavesspots.html
https://extension.umn.edu/plant-diseases/anthracnose-trees-and-shrubs
https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/fact-sheets/maple-anthracnose
Bottom line, assuming I have located the leaves about which you had concerns, your maple seems quite healthy. The two conditions I’ve mentioned only detract from the cosmetic appearance of the tree.
Good luck. If I have missed something, please get back to us. Thanks for using our forum.