I have 3 maple trees right in front of my house which I love for the shade.

Well this spring the middle one never really got any new leaves on it. From what I remember it was pretty healthy last summer. Maybe one or two dead branches.

Anyway it only has one little patch of new growth about 12 ft up.

Is there anything I can do to try to save it? Cut back dead branches, fertilizers, watering, etc?

My instinct is to prune the heck out of it but I'm afraid to do more harm than good.




I don't know if it's relevant or not, but there is some greenish mold looking stuff growing on the bark of all three of them.


Thanks!

 

There are several insects that can be a problem, but given your location I would read up on the Asian Long Horned Beetle. A careful inspection might spot their damage to the dead tree (it is dead, IMO) and possible on the remaining. If it is the Asian Long Horned Beetle, the state might be interested to contain the problem. Of course that might be the end of the other two trees, but they may not be salvageable if infected.

Not a pro on this, just have many maples I keep my eyes on.

Bud

 

Do you have any ideas for a new tree you'd like to plant in it's place?

It looks like it's previously been pruned very hard. I don't know if it's related to or just coincidence but I've seen quite a few trees die after extreme pruning. Most that die seem to hang on for 2 or 3 years before succumbing.

I'm no expert but think it has to do with massive pruning when the tree is cut back to big nubs. There is still the full living mass of the trunk and roots to support and all it's food production capacity has been removed. Then it's a race for the tree to grow enough new branches & leaves before it runs out of energy. During the whole recover period the tree is way out of balance & weak which I think makes it an easy candidate for disease.

 

Thanks for the replies.

We will have been in the house 3 years in October. I remember the previous homeowner saying he had them cut way back because they were hanging over the deck.

Regardless of what killed it, it sounds like this one is beyond saving and I should just remove it completely? Or cut most of the dead, dry branches in hopes of saving it.


Aside from the beetles or other insects, think that mold/fungus growth is anything to be concerned about? I've been seeing it on a lot of trees lately around our area. I can try to get a better picture of it tonight.

 

Sorry I took so long. It was a busy weekend.

This is the stuff growing on my trees that I was referring to:

 

I don't think you need to be concerned with the lichens growing on the trunk. In general they are harmless and live on the trunk but don't actually go into the trunk.

Do you recall anything specific about how the tree's leaves looked last year or how it's few leaves look this year? Have you seen any sawdust around the base of the tree? Basically google disease and pests of maple trees and see if you can recognize anything. Some are important to catch early and are best treated by removing the diseased tree while others can be treated.

 

That answers that. Lichen. A few people at work I showed those photos to jumped to conclusions that it was some sort of blight.

I nor the wife really remember anything about the tree last year that stands out. It may have had a few bare branches, but definitely not like this year.

I looked all around it, no signs of frass like dust or even any insect holes that I can find.

Maybe it's my imagination but the leaves seem a little droopy. And seems like a lot of bark is peeling back in strips around the truncks. I think they've always looked that way though. Wife says they look fine, and I'm being paranoid. lol


I think I'm just going to cut it low and hope for the best. Or should I just cut away any branches that could cause damage if they fall and wait til next year?


Thanks!

 

The greyish green is lichen...the greener stranded stuff appears to be some sort of moss?

Up to you how you handle it...but that tree is deader than a doornail. Even it it sprouts a few leaves, as was said earlier, there won't be enough to feed the tree so you'll have a big ugly trunk with a few sprouted leaves that will wilt and die. I'd cut it all down and if you don't have funds for stump removal, cut it level at whatever height you want and put a flower pot or bird bath on it.