Red Maple Tree Question

apple799

Treehouser
Joined
Jun 15, 2020
Messages
1
Location
California
The bark of the tree trunk is peeling off, and the branches became white and dead. Does anyone know what's wrong?
IMG_0543.JPEG IMG_0552.jpeg IMG_0545.jpeg IMG_0542.JPEG
 
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Looks like a Japanese Maple. Any idea?

How long has it been in the ground?
Who transplanted it?

I'd start with checking for stem-girdling roots by exposing the root collar.

What do you know about the tree's needs?
 
At this point, I think it's a lost battle for it. Always good to know what's going on though. But even if it survives, the trunk is badly decayed with borers (third pic). It will have soon no support near the ground and will break. The living half part of the trunk tries to make it but it won't have the time to cover again the dead part and get some sturdiness.
 
The tree is so stressed that all sorts of pests are inviting themselves to feast on it. Trunk's very skinny, might be a sign of something keeping it from bulking up like girdling roots as Sean mentioned. So many of these ornamental get volcano mulch and are choked to death.
 
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