Knowledgebase

Japanese Maple damage #932052

Asked May 18, 2026, 9:34 AM EDT

We noticed that portions of our Japanese maple did not produce leaves this year. The branches seem to be pliable. What should we do?

Wayne County Michigan

Expert Response

Hello there!

A good idea is to scratch the branches with your fingernail or something else not too sharp and inspect the tissue under the bark. If the tissue is greenish and pliable, you might want to wait and see if the branches still leaf out. If you see blackish or brown streaks in the green sapwood, this could be caused by verticillium wilt https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/verticillium_wilt_refresher . Verticillium wilt is a serious fungal issue affecting many types of woody plants, including maples. 

There's no treatment for verticillium wilt other than pruning away the affected tissue and maintaining proper growing techniques to ensure the overall health of the tree. Here are some general tips on tree and shrub pruning which do apply to Japanese maples: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/tips_on_tree_and_shrub_pruning

Thank you for your question!  Replied May 18, 2026, 10:09 AM EDT

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