Maple dying? Why?

Eric H-L

Treehouser
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Sep 28, 2016
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497
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Indianapolis
My son just bought a house near Cleveland. There is a small maple in the front with what appears to be Rhytisma acerinum spots on the leaves. Several of the leaders have no leaves whatsoever and the bark is peeling off. The leaders that do have green leaves also have leafless branches with peeling bark. What’s ailing this tree? 4906F6BE-78FA-4C58-ADDD-C69DA3BFB010.jpeg 40BD8D0E-EA5A-472F-8B4E-5F8F8178FB19.jpeg 89EF7EF6-E463-4FBE-A6B7-9ECC87B0171D.jpeg
 
No one on the internet can wave their wand like Harry Potter and give you the correct answer. All we can do is give you best practices, and what environmental conditions that species normally thrives in.
Best to forget the internet and contact a local arborist or your local AG extension, or a reputable local nursery
 
Root problem is my guess, but which one ?
A severe gilrding root could do that. Or a strike from a fungus like Armillaria mellea.
The layer of something on the ground is way too thick and the trees usually don't like to have their foot buried.
The tree is already lost, no hope, but you can dig out the top or the root system to look at what's going on.

Here, many mapples are killed by the mapple soot, an agressive parasitic fungus on the trunk and limbs. The very thin surface layer of the bark peels off and reveals a black/dark brown dusty coat. One or two years are enought to loose the tree. Some can hold a little longer, but they are condamned. The dark dust is a very nasty stuff for our lungs.
 
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  • #7
Screams for a root Ex. Is that a volcano mulch? Could have girdled root.
Yes it got the volcano mulch from previous owner. Universal practice in this sub-division. I appreciate the heads up. I am totally clueless on plant health. My son might have continued to pile on the mulch like his neighbors. I would not have known any better to advise against it! Definitely looking into the girdled root possibility.
 
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  • #8
No one on the internet can wave their wand like Harry Potter and give you the correct answer. All we can do is give you best practices, and what environmental conditions that species normally thrives in.
Best to forget the internet and contact a local arborist or your local AG extension, or a reputable local nursery
Fair point, Frans! My son had plans to consult a local arborist in spring. Hopefully he will move that up to immediately! My question here was for my curiosity and education not a replacement for eyes on site.
 
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  • #10
Root problem is my guess, but which one ?
A severe gilrding root could do that. Or a strike from a fungus like Armillaria mellea.
The layer of something on the ground is way too thick and the trees usually don't like to have their foot buried.
The tree is already lost, no hope, but you can dig out the top or the root system to look at what's going on.

Here, many mapples are killed by the mapple soot, an agressive parasitic fungus on the trunk and limbs. The very thin surface layer of the bark peels off and reveals a black/dark brown dusty coat. One or two years are enought to loose the tree. Solme can hold a little longer, but they are condamned. The dark dust is a very nasty stuff for our lungs.
Thanks for the information. Definitely will pass on the advice about not continuing the previous owners bad mulching practices! When my son gets an arborist to look at it I will provide an update here. I did not know about girdling root before you (and others) mentioned it here. I appreciate you also suggesting other root ailments that could be alternate causes.
 
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  • #11
I appreciate all of you who have taken the trouble to provide helpful information based on bad pictures. Definitely not trying to use you to avoid hiring someone to come look at the tree. (If anyone is located a little east of Cleveland and interested in the job let me know and I will suggest you to my son). I am keeping an open mind to all possible causes. After several of you said girdling root I googled it and then at first light went out to take another picture. A75584C4-8293-4E90-8F61-02E9042400C4.jpeg
 
How much time is involved in fixing that?

If it was me, I'd remove it, but I'm kinda biased against maples. It's damaged goods at this point, and doesn't appear to be an interesting specimen. so it'll be a money sink, and quicker getting to throwing branches all over the place as maple's like to do.
 
Root problem is my guess, but which one ?
A severe gilrding root could do that. Or a strike from a fungus like Armillaria mellea.
The layer of something on the ground is way too thick and the trees usually don't like to have their foot buried.
The tree is already lost, no hope, but you can dig out the top or the root system to look at what's going on.

Here, many mapples are killed by the mapple soot, an agressive parasitic fungus on the trunk and limbs. The very thin surface layer of the bark peels off and reveals a black/dark brown dusty coat. One or two years are enought to loose the tree. Solme can hold a little longer, but they are condamned. The dark dust is a very nasty stuff for our lungs.
Sooty Bark Disease was identified in my state in maples.

I hear you should wear a respirator to deal with them.
 
Totally agree on that.

One thing, the leaves sure don't look like the Norway maples I know: Acer platanoides
 
The leaves in picture #3 do look like a Silver Maple. Pictures #1 and #2 are definitely Norway Maple. Maybe there is a neighboring Silver Maple in the yard as well?
 
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  • #20
Yes the leaves in picture 3 are from a different tree nearby. I didn’t mean to create confusion!
 
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