Thank you for your question.

It would be helpful to know the species of this maple. Judging from the smooth, gray bark, I’m guessing that it is either a red maple or a Freeman maple. This latter is a hybrid maple developed by crossing a red maple with a silver maple. No doubt you are aware that Freeman maples are commonly sold in nurseries for home landscaping.

Based upon the submitted pictures, these are my thoughts:

1). Overall, the tree does not look good. I think it is more than mere “transplant shock”. There is substantial upper canopy dieback. Complete replacement might be the best course.

2). I believe that mistakes were made in planting the tree. I assume that this might have occurred in 2023 or 2024. The picture of the tree’s base does not show a visible root flare. The trunk goes straight into the ground. A properly planted tree should show a root flare at or slightly above soil level. In shorter words, the tree was planted too deeply. This can lead to the development of stem-girdling roots that can impede the flow of nutrients from the root system upward to the branches. See:

https://conservancy.umn.edu/items/050ca7df-1d29-40be-9def-756a0567a038

3). If I am correct in my assumption that planting occurred in 2023 or 2024, it may be too soon for sufficient stem-girdling roots to have developed and be the sole cause of the current condition of the tree. While it might have contributed to things, I don’t think that it is the only cause.

4). Besides being planted too deeply, I suspect that there was also poor establishment of a root system after planting. The obvious cause would have been insufficient watering of the tree. The lack of adequate water, combined with drought conditions during the summers of 2024 and 2025, subjected the newly transplanted tree to considerable heat stress. This watering should have been frequent and extending up to the soil freezing. See:

https://extension.umn.edu/how/planting-and-transplanting-trees-and-shrubs

5). Since the leaves are so shriveled, it is difficult to determine if any bacterial or fungal blight is present. While I can’t eliminate that possibility, I think it is unlikely.

Suggestions:

1). Remove existing mulch from around the tree. Locate where the root flare is. If it is below the soil line, remove the mulch above this flare.

2). The mulch area around the tree is quite small. This places limitations on the amount of water that can get down to the roots. Enlarge the mulch area so that it is at least four feet in diameter. No much should be immediately next to the trunk. Keep a mulch-free area of about a foot in diameter.

3). Do only minimal pruning. Do not add any fertilizer. Both actions would cause the tree to put energy into foliage development when the energy should be going to the roots for their development.

Bottom line: Replace NOW (early May 2026), or wait to see how things look like in September 2026. If no improvement by then, spring 2027 replacement would be in order.

Good luck. Please get back to us with any additional questions. Thanks for consulting us.