Japanese Maple - Disease

Discussion in 'Maples' started by Gerard, Jun 9, 2009.

  1. Gerard

    Gerard Member

    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Stamford, Connecticut
    Hi everyone. Attached find photos of two of my maples. They seem to have developed some kind of spot blight. Questions: What is it? How do I cure it? Thanks in advance!
     

    Attached Files:

  2. eq72521

    eq72521 Active Member

    Messages:
    73
    Likes Received:
    2
    Location:
    Kennebunk, ME Z5B
    Could be a sun scorch if it was watered in direct sun. My wife got some overspray on a large dissectum and it's got similiar colloring, but not spots.
     
  3. emery

    emery Renowned Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

    Messages:
    3,406
    Likes Received:
    3,450
    Location:
    Normandie, France
    a hailstorm can also cause that kind of damage. I'd spray with an anti-fungal just in case.

    -E
     
  4. alex66

    alex66 Rising Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

    Messages:
    2,084
    Likes Received:
    209
    Location:
    ROME Italy zone9/b
    i agree with Emery.
     
  5. Gerard

    Gerard Member

    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Stamford, Connecticut
    I am thinking that it may be a fungus problem. We have had a particularly wet spring here in Connecticut and I have had a layer of chips over the roots since April. Do you have any suggestions as to the right anti-fungus agent to use?
     
  6. alex66

    alex66 Rising Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

    Messages:
    2,084
    Likes Received:
    209
    Location:
    ROME Italy zone9/b
    uhmm for me no fungus...
     
  7. Gomero

    Gomero Well-Known Member Maple Society 10 Years

    Messages:
    1,382
    Likes Received:
    31
    Location:
    Southwest France
    Every year I have many A. palmatum cultivars displaying the same condition. I do not now what it is. I know it is not sun scorch. I have tried several anti-fungal sprays but to no avail. Now I do nothing, it is unsightly but it does not seem to affect the overall health of the tree.

    Gomero
     
  8. Gerard

    Gerard Member

    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Stamford, Connecticut
    I have about 200 Japanese Maples that border my property. Some get this, others do not. The ones that do get it are in a more shaded area, and because we have had a lot of rain this season, I am guessing that it some kind of fungus combined with having wood chips at the base of the trees. So one solution is to pull back some of the chips now, cut back on the water (of course, it is raining today), and maybe try some kind of anti-fungus spray. I also added peat moss at the base too so that the crown is protected. It may also be a consequence of the fertilizer that I have been using, or the insecticide for the beetles. Just don't know. But I do know that it happens to some and not all, and happens more frequently to the shaded trees. I do suspect that it has to do with the dampness of the wood chips at the base and the wet weather. Any thoughts on a good anti-fungus agent?
     
  9. Gomero

    Gomero Well-Known Member Maple Society 10 Years

    Messages:
    1,382
    Likes Received:
    31
    Location:
    Southwest France
    Cannot help since trade names are not the same in both sides of the Atlantic. Please keep us informed if you succeed with your treatment.

    Gomero
     
  10. Gerard

    Gerard Member

    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Stamford, Connecticut
    I will.

    If we have the same thing going on, check the amount of mulch you have above the crown. And then monitor the dampness. We cannot do much about the rain, but we can control the water and the tinker with how long the soil stays moist.

    Thanks for your comments.
     
  11. chimera

    chimera Well-Known Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    1,771
    Likes Received:
    62
    Location:
    Fraser Valley, B.C. ,Canada
    Wonder if it could be maple anthracnose.
     
  12. Gerard

    Gerard Member

    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Stamford, Connecticut
    It may be. Any suggestions on a cure?
     
  13. chimera

    chimera Well-Known Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    1,771
    Likes Received:
    62
    Location:
    Fraser Valley, B.C. ,Canada
  14. chimera

    chimera Well-Known Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    1,771
    Likes Received:
    62
    Location:
    Fraser Valley, B.C. ,Canada
    Another disease , Phyllosticta Spot, and control using bordeaux mixture are described here http://agnic.msu.edu/hgpubs/modus/morefile/hg81_72.pdf. Apparently the mixture is also used to control anthracnose. Suppose a plant pathologist might be needed to verify either disease.
     
    Last edited: Jun 10, 2009
  15. Gomero

    Gomero Well-Known Member Maple Society 10 Years

    Messages:
    1,382
    Likes Received:
    31
    Location:
    Southwest France
    I cannot draw any correlations since the affected maples (and they tend to be always the same) are in very different conditions: in the ground or in pots, sun or shade, heavy or light mulch. It is true that for a while I thought it was antrachnose but since the recommended treatment for that condition did not work, I am no longer certain.

    Gomero
     
  16. winterhaven

    winterhaven Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

    Messages:
    552
    Likes Received:
    11
    Location:
    Western Washington, USA
    Acid rain?
     
  17. Gerard

    Gerard Member

    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Stamford, Connecticut
    I don't think so because it only effects a few of the japanese maples in my yard. The ones that have more sun (i.e. are more dry) do not have this condition.
     
  18. winterhaven

    winterhaven Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

    Messages:
    552
    Likes Received:
    11
    Location:
    Western Washington, USA
    Just to play devils advocate...

    If it were acid rain then perhaps some maples have leaves that are more sensitive than others and the ones in shade probably don't dry out as quickly so the water droplets stay on the leaves longer giving them more time to affect the leaves. Could explain both why trees next to each other in same growing conditions don't get it (one is more sensitive than the other) and why there is a higher incidence in the shade than not (longer time to burn the leaf).

    BTW, 200 maples bordering the property? Oh, my that must be beautiful!
     
  19. Gerard

    Gerard Member

    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Stamford, Connecticut
    Anything is possible. Could be acid rain. Yes, 200 or so, could be more. Most of them are small so they are easy to manage at this point. In about 5 years they should be something special to look at. I need to move the aureum though - too much sun.
     
  20. winterhaven

    winterhaven Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

    Messages:
    552
    Likes Received:
    11
    Location:
    Western Washington, USA
    Saw this Sagara nishiki at a local nursery and thought of y'all. It's also in almost full shade. We haven't had any rain for it to be acid rain. I don't know their watering practices but somehow I doubt they water the crowns of their trees. But it just looks like water sat on the leaves too long. Hmm. What could do that?
     

    Attached Files:

  21. Skeezix

    Skeezix Member

    Messages:
    12
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Victoria BC Ca
    I'm relatively 'new' to maples, but not gardening. Could this be an insect issue such as leaf miners?

    Skeezix
     
  22. Gomero

    Gomero Well-Known Member Maple Society 10 Years

    Messages:
    1,382
    Likes Received:
    31
    Location:
    Southwest France
    Winterhaven,

    I believe what appears in the Sagara Nishiki leaves is a different problem that that shown in the pics of Gerard. If you look at the 'Akane' thread in the Gallery you may see some similarities to what you show.

    Gomero
     
  23. M. D. Vaden

    M. D. Vaden Active Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    843
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Beaverton, Oregon
    Looks like no big deal to me.

    I've seen spots like that come and go around here. There are reams of variations for night time or day time temperatures combined with moisture, dew or raindrops on leaves.

    Some conditions at the right time enable fungus or bacteria to develop more abundantly. At times, it can cause some spots. Comes and goes. Not worth spraying for the way I look at it.

    The smaller the tree, the more noticeable it seems to be.

    Overall, the tree looks pretty good.
     
  24. scalor75

    scalor75 Member

    Messages:
    14
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    italy north !
    what it is this disease ?
     

    Attached Files:

  25. whis4ey

    whis4ey Well-Known Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    1,011
    Likes Received:
    12
    Location:
    Northern Ireland
    I have had spots like thse on my maples on and off, depending on the weather conditions. It seems to happen when we have had a spell of very wet windy weather followed by dry. So far it hasn't proved fatal :)
     

Share This Page