My Japanese maple is turning black.

[Monsteranh]

Hi all! So my maple was sprouting new leaves last week and one day it got too hot and we left it out on our balcony (we live in an apartment), came home and all the new leaves wilted and eventually fell off. I notice there are black spots all over the branches and trunk. I’m not sure if it’s been there before or recent. Based on my research it seems to be verticillium? Please I need some advice to what I need to do to save this baby. TIA

 

[Dav4]

Black = dead, regardless of cause. Sorry.

 

[MrWunderful]

Yeah thats probably a goner.

 

[rodeolthr]

Which USDA zone are you in? I've seen this happen especially with acer palmatum that are in areas where the winter temps get too cold for them.

 

[John P.]

Pseudomonas syringae.

 

[Monsteranh]

Which USDA zone are you in? I've seen this happen especially with acer palmatum that are in areas where the winter temps get too cold for them.

I live in Texas. One day it’s 90 and the next day it’s in the 40s. Crazy weather.

 

[ajm55555]

Completely dead. You can find plenty of information about the possible cause on this Web site. As John P. said, it's most likely Pseudomonas Syringae. Get rid of the plant and disinfect the container if you plan on reusing it.

 

[It's Kev]

Mine did this too just last week, bought a tree at the beginning of December, in dormancy, nursed it for 4 months in which leaves haven’t come out. Then one day it had black spots, next day bigger black spots, then all black, with no idea what I did wrong

and I’ll be way too nervous to replace it for fears that it’ll happen again

 

[Shibui]

I don't think this has anything to do with being too hot. The 2 things just happened to coincide any you've drawn an erroneous link between them.
Most people just do not notice the black bark until after the leaves have wilted. By then it is too late.
In my experience this results from trees being too wet over winter and early spring. The fungi have already killed the sap flow when the trees leaf out so the new shoots start to wilt then die. Occasionally when I have noticed before the black has spread right round the trunk I have been able to recover a couple by drying them out and/or treating with fungicide.
Once the black has spread right round the trunk it is too late to save them.

 

[james76110]

Coral barks, Bihou etc. tend to get Pseudomonas infections. I've found that tea tree oil tends to discourage it.

 

[Pitoon]

Most likely from the roots being to wet. Are you using that potting soil through out the entire pot?

 

[It's Kev]

@Shibui thanks, it has been raining every day here lately and we haven’t had sun in over a week. So without hijacking the thread I’ve learned from my mistake and will quietly try again

 

[rockm]

This tre

Hi all! So my maple was sprouting new leaves last week and one day it got too hot and we left it out on our balcony (we live in an apartment), came home and all the new leaves wilted and eventually fell off. I notice there are black spots all over the branches and trunk. I’m not sure if it’s been there before or recent. Based on my research it seems to be verticillium? Please I need some advice to what I need to do to save this baby. TIA

Verticillium doesn't kill entire trees all at once. It kills off sections, branches, pieces of trunk, tops, etc. over time. This is likely a root problem that has festered over the winter, when the tree asked its roots to function, they couldn't...I'd bet if you pulled that out of the soil, the roots have probably rotted away mostly... That takes some time.

 

[Monsteranh]

Most likely from the roots being to wet. Are you using that potting soil through out the entire pot?

Yes the potting soil is through out the entire pot. Am I not supposed to do that?
Thank you all for your inputs. Looks like this tree is a goner

 

[Ohmy222]

This tre

Verticillium doesn't kill entire trees all at once. It kills off sections, branches, pieces of trunk, tops, etc. over time. This is likely a root problem that has festered over the winter, when the tree asked its roots to function, they couldn't...I'd bet if you pulled that out of the soil, the roots have probably rotted away mostly... That takes some time.

This. This happens normally because of issues with moisture and periods of hot/cold. I am a maple addict and lose at least a couple every year. Especially small ones. Normally your tree will leaf out from all the stored energy and you will see the black beginning at the soil level. The leaves will wilt all within a day or two with no warning. My understanding from maple experts is this has nothing to do with freezing issues either.

 

[Pitoon]

Yes the potting soil is through out the entire pot. Am I not supposed to do that?
Thank you all for your inputs. Looks like this tree is a goner

You need a substrate that drains good but at the same time holds some moisture. Potting soil stays to wet for to long. I use pine bark nuggets or pine bark mulch for growing out my maples and water maybe two or three times a week. If you can find fir bark fines even better. Usually that's a bulk load purchase and you need a spot to dump the load.

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce