Maple Tree losing leaves - Ask Extension
Asking for a customer
I have an older maple tree. Last year it lost 1/2 its leaves and this year almost 3/4 lost. No pests are visible.
what could...
Knowledgebase
Maple Tree losing leaves #879887
Asked August 02, 2024, 11:50 AM EDT
Asking for a customer
I have an older maple tree. Last year it lost 1/2 its leaves and this year almost 3/4 lost. No pests are visible.
what could be going on- we would like to save the tree.
Heard of a device/spike to put in the ground to re-energize.
Mecosta County Michigan
Expert Response
Hello Karen,
Without some clear pictures of the whole tree and some close ups of any discolored leaves, a normal branch of leaves, and a bare branch, and a picture of where the trunk goes i to he soil we can only give you a list of the many possible causes:
Root zone damage- from past flooding, construction, parking vehicles near the tree are some possible causes.
Girdling roots, which slowly constrict the trunk stopping flow of water and nutrients. These may be visible or may be below ground.
Fungal diseases, cankers on limbs, and internal rots. Especially in maples, verticillium wilt slowly kills trees.
Storm and ice damage can crack large limbs, causing dieback later.
Drought stress from previous years ‘adds up’ and slowly kills trees.
Red maples, if the client has his kind of maple, i.e. Acer rubrum, need an acid soil pH. If the client’s soil is above 7.0 the maple may have yellow-green leaves with deeper green veins. This stresses the tree and can lead to dieback.
Here are some bulletins with details on these issues:
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/moisture_stress_and_lack_of_nutrients_contribute_to_maple_color_issues
https://barron.extension.wisc.edu/files/2023/02/Maple-Decline-Collar-Rot-and-Basal-Canker-Complex.pdf
https://www.umass.edu/urbantree/factsheets/23commonmapleproblems.html
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/verticillium_wilt_refresher
The spike in the ground is likely a fertilizer spike. However, it is not recommended to fertilize stressed trees until a positive diagnosis has been made. Most Michigan soils have all the nutrients needed to grow trees.
The client may have a certified arborist out to diagnose all issues with his tree, treat what can be managed, and provide the client a “plant health care plan”
Find certified arborists by zip code:
http://www.treesaregood.org
Without some clear pictures of the whole tree and some close ups of any discolored leaves, a normal branch of leaves, and a bare branch, and a picture of where the trunk goes i to he soil we can only give you a list of the many possible causes:
Root zone damage- from past flooding, construction, parking vehicles near the tree are some possible causes.
Girdling roots, which slowly constrict the trunk stopping flow of water and nutrients. These may be visible or may be below ground.
Fungal diseases, cankers on limbs, and internal rots. Especially in maples, verticillium wilt slowly kills trees.
Storm and ice damage can crack large limbs, causing dieback later.
Drought stress from previous years ‘adds up’ and slowly kills trees.
Red maples, if the client has his kind of maple, i.e. Acer rubrum, need an acid soil pH. If the client’s soil is above 7.0 the maple may have yellow-green leaves with deeper green veins. This stresses the tree and can lead to dieback.
Here are some bulletins with details on these issues:
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/moisture_stress_and_lack_of_nutrients_contribute_to_maple_color_issues
https://barron.extension.wisc.edu/files/2023/02/Maple-Decline-Collar-Rot-and-Basal-Canker-Complex.pdf
https://www.umass.edu/urbantree/factsheets/23commonmapleproblems.html
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/verticillium_wilt_refresher
The spike in the ground is likely a fertilizer spike. However, it is not recommended to fertilize stressed trees until a positive diagnosis has been made. Most Michigan soils have all the nutrients needed to grow trees.
The client may have a certified arborist out to diagnose all issues with his tree, treat what can be managed, and provide the client a “plant health care plan”
Find certified arborists by zip code:
http://www.treesaregood.org
Thank you for the info - client did bring in a some pictures of the leaves and tree.
Thanks for the pictures. There may be girdling roots, there appears to be one right at the soil surface.
The brown leaf doesn’t tell much, it could be from a number of things— wilt, fungi, insects.
The resolution on the picture of limbs is not good enough to see any issues.
It would be best to hire Certified arborist. He/she can go over the whole tree looking for reasons the limbs die back, checking for verticillium wilt, and determine if the girdling root can be pruned. The root is too large for a homeowner to deal with— it may have to stay in place in order to preserve the stability of the tree—the arborist will be able to tell.
The brown leaf doesn’t tell much, it could be from a number of things— wilt, fungi, insects.
The resolution on the picture of limbs is not good enough to see any issues.
It would be best to hire Certified arborist. He/she can go over the whole tree looking for reasons the limbs die back, checking for verticillium wilt, and determine if the girdling root can be pruned. The root is too large for a homeowner to deal with— it may have to stay in place in order to preserve the stability of the tree—the arborist will be able to tell.
