Time to toss this japanese maple?

[luvinthemountains]

I posted about this yesterday in my progression thread and did not get any response, so trying again here. After cutting the trunks on my japanese maple clump, I was concerned to see these darkened/blackened areas of sapwood. Could this be verticillium or something similarly sinister? Is there anything I can do at this point? It is a clump with fused base and the central trunk appears unaffected. Maybe it's time to go for a single-trunk design!

 

[TrevorLarsen]

Yeah black on the inside is a death sentence. Maybe you could take cuttings but they might be infected. Hopefully someone with experience can say wether cuttings will also be infected.

I just noticed you’re also in Utah so that is cool. I would keep pruning until I didn’t see black inside anymore if there is any part that is uninflected. If you find parts free of infection I would seal the wounds and treat with anti fungal. I have a tree that was only black on the outside and an emergency repot has started to make the black go away.
I found this video helpful and I like @leatherback videos a lot

 

[luvinthemountains]

Yeah black on the inside is a death sentence. Maybe you could take cuttings but they might be infected. Hopefully someone with experience can say wether cuttings will also be infected.

Actually, I am thinking more in the reverse. Since I am not really into growing cuttings, I am hoping I can somehow salvage the tree. Possibly just keep cutting lower and lower until I find healthy wood. I realize even healthy tissues could be infected, but might that be addressed with a systemic fungicide?

 

[TrevorLarsen]

Sorry I added to my reply after I looked some stuff up so it sounds like we are on the same page. Nice to see a fellow Utahn on here. By the way have you found and good bonsai supply stores in Utah? I have only found cactus and tropicals to really have good bonsai stuff.

 

[luvinthemountains]

Nice to see a fellow Utahn on here. By the way have you found and good bonsai supply stores in Utah? I have only found cactus and tropicals to really have good bonsai stuff.

Haha, I had not even noticed that. Shows how I pay attention! I think C&T is pretty much it in Utah, unfortunately because they are so expensive. I like to buy stuff online, like from Superfly Bonsai.

 

[luvinthemountains]

I went ahead and started cutting into the tree. Bad news! The largest affected trunk had it all the way to the root base and, when I plunged a drill bit in to try and get the last of it, I just kept getting more and more black bits coming out. Seems the tree is a lost cause?

 

[BobbyLane]

I would just throw it away at this point.

 

[roberthu]

I don't actually thing it's that bad. Certainly not a death sentence. Hope you haven't trashed it. I'd seal the wound and let it grow freely. Plant in the ground would be even better.

 

[bwaynef]

I don't have direct experience, but thought Verticilium wilt was indicated by dark coloring in the xylem/phloem more than the heartwood. You might want to get this properly identified before continuing. Or maybe cut your losses here since it doesn't seem to be very advanced material.

Also, the first symptom that there's an issue would be "flagging" of the leaves, as if theres a loss of "water pressure". If you're not seeing this, I'd suspect the streaking to be something else.

 

[Gabler]

The live tissue appears to be unaffected by whatever that is. The tree should theoretically compartmentalize it and be fine. Give it a systemic fungicide as an extra precaution and wait to see what it does.