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Help with dying Japanese Maple Shrub

9 years ago

I planted an Acer "Aratama" this past May on the western side of my house in dappled sunlight. The shrub is about 3-ft tall and 2-feet wide.

When buying it, the nursery said to plant it ONLY in aged pine bark and to water it every few days. After 6 weeks or so, the leaves began curling and falling off. I called the nursery, and they said its too dry and to give it a bucket of water every other day, which I've been doing since that time. It looks worse than ever now and appears to be on the verge of dying. The leaves are still curling and falling off.

I dug around the roots and touched the soil. It felt moist--not dry, but not wet--just slightly moist.

A couple of questions:

1. Any ideas what the problem is?
2. I've never heard of planting a shrub in only aged pine bark (nothing else). Could this be the problem?

Thanks for your feedback. I feel sad about this little shrub.

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Comments (9)

User
9 years ago
Rein,
It is a dwarf japanese maple tree. It grows very slow.
Stop watering it so much.
Taper off, and I only plant my japanese maples in pine bark mulch. Only pine.
You have to be a little patient with japanese maples.
It might releaf for you, it might go into dormancy early.
Don't rule it out, next year it might be fine.
Try watering it only 2 times a week since it is hot right now and you just planted it this year.
I take the hose, turn it on low, and leave it under my japanese maples in this weather for about an hour.
But it depends on your weather, if you get rain, ect.
Do some research on japanese maples online and get familiar with the tree.
It is a tree, not a shrub. It might be dwarf, but there is a big difference between a tree and a shrub.
Good luck with it.
I was looking at pics online, it's beautiful!
reinholdt
Original Author
9 years ago
OK, thanks butterfly, i will try what you say!
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I definitely agree that it needs water, and a few things to consider: 1) I planted a bloodgood that got hit by high winds -- a random event, but all the leaves looked like yours. This was back in June. The tree has replaced almost all of these with new leaves, so your tree will come back if it gets some water. 2) If your tree is in a windy spot, and it was wind that caused this, you may have to plant / create some kind of windblock 3) I have read that Japanese Maples can struggle with heat reflection, so if your tree is in full sun, all of those rocks under it are reflecting heat. So, if it is in full sun, it may be "cooking" from both sides. 4) In my experience, the best thing to do is leave the leaves as they are. The tree will take care of itself likely next spring and put on fresh leaves. 5) If you scratch the branches lightly with your fingernail, you will probably find that they are green where you scratch. This means your tree is not dead. If you scratch a branch and it is brown, that branch is dead / dying. 6) Finally, you want the original root ball to be consistently moist, but not wet. Don't arbitrarily water it everyday. Stick your finger in the root ball and see if it is at all dry -- if it is at all dry, then water. Overwatering is not good either and while it can be difficult to tell sometimes, you'll get the hang of it. Good luck
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Hi Folks, thanks for all the info. I am very content to work with it as a shrub. Designs evolve and flex. It is nature out there not an oil painting. The shrub form will be quite fine and Japanese maple leaves always look beautiful imo. (PS cant use round here and never would it is very illegal and so dangerous for every living thing) So.......I cut out the main trunk today and using some stakes I tied two of the longer remaining branches into a more vertical position. I only pulled them up by about 6". It looks fine now and very healthy. It was a tragic surgery to perform but the patient is doing well now. Looking back at the invoice I discovered the tree was an Acer palmatum 'Sango-kaku' (Coral-Bark Maple). :( Thanks folks for all the hand holding. I will get a pic and post it soon. Enjoy your day.
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
i would dig it up.. and take it back for a refund.. and tell them the pine bark theory didnt work ...

we tell peeps to NEVER amend a planting hole... and this dolt took amending to the max ...

i would have no problem planting in the bark.. IN A POT ..

see link on how to plant a tree ... in mother earth ..

as to taking it back.. a pic would sure help us understand how bad it is...

but i do think.. after you read the link.. it ought to be replanted.. properly ....

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link
reinholdt
Original Author
9 years ago
Ken, here are a few images.
reinholdt
Original Author
9 years ago
Ken, here are a few images.
reinholdt
Original Author
9 years ago
Another
reinholdt
Original Author
9 years ago
deleted dupe post.

This post was edited by reinholdt on Sun, Aug 31, 14 at 13:08
reinholdt
Original Author
9 years ago
OK, I replanted it using only native soil and gave it some water. Hopefully, it will comeback. I wonder how much time needs to pass before seeing any signs one way or the other? A couple weeks?
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
its fall in my MI ... one on my JMs looks worse than that.. lol ...

it will come back next spring.. at best... i would not expect much more now ....

and actually ... i would prefer .... it not releaf this late in the year ...

i probably would have put it another 2 or 3 feet from the house... you have given it no room for future growth ... [i am being an optimist ... lol ]

you made the right decision on replanting .. and i presume you followed teh guide ...

now all you have to decide.. is if you want to do it one more time.. lol ..

all it needs.. is proper water.. its not hungry.. its stressed ...

i wish you luck.. let us know how it works out ...

ken

ps: the best time to plant trees... is usually right after they lose their leaves ... its root growing season.. and its so much less stressful w/o the leaves ... just water properly ... so it really doesnt matter if you tree doesnt have leaves.. in fall ..

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