Yellow leaves are usually a sign of either a lack of nitrogen OR iron. So, how can you which one your plant is deficient in? Well, it is really quite easy. Monday, we talked about nitrogen deficiency, which causes older leaves to yellow and newer leaves to stay green. However, when it comes to iron deficiency it is the opposite - younger leaves turn yellow first. The other characteristic of iron deficient plants is that although the younger leaves turn yellow, their veins remain green. Iron is needed for plants to function. Without it, they will not grow. What is interesting about iron is that there is usually plenty of it in the soil. BUT, certain factors can affect it being available for plants to absorb. If your soil is wet, has a high pH (alkaline soil), and/or clay soils are all factors that can lead to iron from becoming unavailable for plants. Iron deficiency is best treated by preventing it from occurring in the first place. If your soil pH is over 7.0, clay-like OR often wet - then incorporate compost and peat moss before planting. http://www.birdsandblooms.com/blog/yellow-leaves-and-green-veins-iron-deficiency/ Here is a link that might be useful: Iron Chlorosis

My first thought is actually nitrogen deficiency just as a reminder once again: providing nitrogen after August 1st can result in the death of a tree next year because the wood could go into winter without having "hardened off" is the term used and thus the wood/bark and buds for leaf growth as well as branch growth) would be affected. Think of Nitrogen this way: Heavy amounts will certainly green up your tree (this is what lawn company's do to make a lot of money - they fertilize as often as up to every two weeks with a lot of "liquid applications") but, in order to keep the leaves green, they are as the first responder notes, using too much nitrogen while the probelm most-likely is occuring in that the uptake of other "trace minerals" isn't quite happening. Chlorosis can be ruled out immediately upon examination of your photos. Lou is 100% right that you have the wrong tree. The correction of soil alkalinity (nitrogen boosts as to temporarily-only correct the problem (nitrogen is a significant by-product of pelletized Sulphur ("pelletized" is the old farm word I know) and of course Sulphur helps to aid in the recovery of chlorosis/chloratic symptoms but once again, you're dealing with "minerals and in all forms really as these are the building blocks for all living things." Minerals of course are also found in water... There's a lot to break down in this type of question to come to a logical answer, but still one that's a guess at best. The "Green Light" products offered are 'organic' however Sulphur while it seems and I did'nt know this as actually "inorganic" - yet the Department of Agriculture deems it as "organic" , or at least that's how I'm interpreting Lou's words currently along with a lot of other erroneous information I've either learned reading or from previous bosses, etc-. I used to spray mainly fruit trees with an organic firm and we used "liquid copper" as well as "Liquid Sulphur." And I recall my boss mentioning that the USDA has deemed these to be, "organic." Those words always stuck in my mind even though I was getting this "organic" crap all over my body, in my skin, and in my lungs. Not pretty folks. I'll let Lou sort this one out for me as I now don't understand precisely his comment. I do believe that he is trying to make a distinction among Sulphur in bottle or hard form, versus "natural formation of Sulphur" derived from decayed mulch. Is this right Lou? Overwatering can also be ruled out in my opinion because this produces the outside of a leaf to brown-up. In this person's case, large patches are observed. I still stick to my guns and say that the splotchy-burning is a reult of drought and that your tree is suffering from a lack of trace minerals which could include nitrogen. Do keep it watered once a week for a good while and if you have time, let it almost dry between waterings. Continue this schedule until this time next year at a minimum if you're going to be stubborn by keeping this tree. It's not a hopeless case, but it is something you'll need to continue addressing. Regards, Dax

Gardeningrandma, Im was told by my builder that it was a red oak...but that means nothing in all honesty. I pulled a leaf and It does appear to be a silver maple. Good call. Now the branch with the yellowed section in question is quite long...perhaps 6 - 7 feet but only the top half has the damage which is why I was wondering what was going on. I am new to tree terms so bear with me...but the runners (new limbs) beneath the yellowed section are a healthy red color on their bark, and the ones in the yellowed section are a dull gray like the trunk of the tree. I wish I could change the topic now! I feel so uninformed.:) I will investigate it for branch or bark damage. I did not know where to start but now I have learned something. If that's the case and the branch wants to drop, I will be taking a huge chunk of the tree away but I suppose it needs to be done. I have never pruned before as I am a new homeowner with new homeowner responsibilities.

Pictures please. Closeup of flower, if possible, and leaves/habit. Don't bring them inside to take pictures.