japanese maple dying by limbs

[jimlight]

I live in Dalton Georgia and have a 25+ year old Japanese maple that has started to lose limbs. I have had the tree tested for disease and nothing came back in the test. But I'm still losing limbs. The tree greened up in the spring and then two weeks later started this trend of leaving going through a fall cycle (turning red and then dropping). But the limbs have no green in them when doing a scratch test. There are no known enviromental conditions to the tree's demise and there has no changes to the trees situation other than limbs dying. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

JL

 

[Guy Meilleur]

If they are lower or interior limbs this may be normal; a response to shade. If not the tree has issues; try posting a picture or get an arborist out to your yard.

 

[bushman]

I have seen a lot that in my area , big japmaples losing intire sides of trees. my be the hurricane last fall .saw one tree had cracked and freeze dryed .

 

[Ax-man]

My first guess on this one would be vert. wilt. The fall cycle you described of the red leaves, plus the dead limbs is a classic sign up here when maples get this vascular disease in our area.

We don't have alot of big Jap maples up here because our winters are to rough on them. Vert. attacks all species of Maples to my knowledge.

Larry

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Originally posted by Ax-man
My first guess on this one would be vert. wilt.

Sounds like a good guess. jimlight if you take some dying branch wood and a cup of soil from that side of the plant to your county ag extension agent they may be able to test for it.

 

[bushman]

when do you see the vert wilt ,and being a soil borne fungus , from a lot rain last year. I'm going to take a soil sample to a lab. I have seen alot of damaged trees in my area ,mainly the ones that are one sided are facing north wind which was very cold last winter .