Red maple tree - Ask Extension
My large red maple was fine leaves came out and beautiful in the early spring but now the leaves have turned brown and falling same condition with a t...
Knowledgebase
Red maple tree #929932
Asked April 28, 2026, 3:34 PM EDT
My large red maple was fine leaves came out and beautiful in the early spring but now the leaves have turned brown and falling same condition with a three year old lace leaf maple red leaves are brown
Howard County Maryland
Expert Response
That is damage from the frost/freeze that much of Maryland experienced last week. Hardy plants do not retain their freeze tolerance once they have broken dormancy and begun to produce new growth, which is why temperature swings between very mild days and cold snaps in spring can be very damaging. We've received many inquiries about such damage on a variety of tree, shrub, and perennial species that had begun to grow or leaf-out when the we had a freeze overnight.
Nothing can heal the injured tissues, but healthy and well-established plants usually have enough energy reserves to produce new growth, though it may take them a few weeks to start to look normal again. It would be best to wait to see how the plant fares, and only trim branch tips (when reachable) if they remain bare (having no new growth; that will probably not be the case here) once the rest of the tree leafs-out again. The wilted/singed leaves will eventually fall off on their own as they dry out.
We are still in a worsening drought, carried over from the past two years of insufficient rain. It would reduce plant stress to monitor them for watering needs and irrigate them periodically as needed. The linked page has watering guidance. Producing new growth requires ample root moisture, and the process can be hindered or stalled if a plant is too drought-stressed.
Miri
Nothing can heal the injured tissues, but healthy and well-established plants usually have enough energy reserves to produce new growth, though it may take them a few weeks to start to look normal again. It would be best to wait to see how the plant fares, and only trim branch tips (when reachable) if they remain bare (having no new growth; that will probably not be the case here) once the rest of the tree leafs-out again. The wilted/singed leaves will eventually fall off on their own as they dry out.
We are still in a worsening drought, carried over from the past two years of insufficient rain. It would reduce plant stress to monitor them for watering needs and irrigate them periodically as needed. The linked page has watering guidance. Producing new growth requires ample root moisture, and the process can be hindered or stalled if a plant is too drought-stressed.
Miri
