Water not getting all the way to the end of the line -- the edges of the leaves.

Has a root problem of some sort -- since planted so recently, roots may be dry or excessively wet. You need to feel the soil of the original rootball to know which it is.

I might have suggested slight frost damage.

Yeah, a lot of my leaves look like that from a late cold spell. The new leaves look fine, so it is probably a scar to remind you of the spring.

In general, blackening of plants parts can be bacterial.

i am with dzit ..

the key is the newer growth.. after the insult ...

if there was disease.. it would continue to attack.. and the new growth would be impacted.. since it is the most tender flesh ... for drama and lack of a better word ..

frost or freeze.. is defined by such.. here in my MI garden .. and yes.. a very borderline case of such can affect.. random plants in the garden ....

ken

Thank you all. It seems the majority believe it is freeze/frost. I checked the temperature history. We only had a low of 43 a couple of weeks ago, and never below 40 in the last 30 days. Will keep an eye on it to see if it gets better or worse.

Jeff

PS. Also checked the soil, which is moist. Gave it a deep drink anyway, for the heat wave (90s) in the next a few days...

"for drama and lack of a better word"

lol ken

I saw this for a few years in a row on our Oklahoma Redbud, during warm wet weather of spring. When the weather dried a bit later, the new leaves did not have this. So since you have not had freezing weather, I would say it's more likely due to weather conditions favoring a pathogen. Not to worry at this point, The damage isn't bad enough to cause significant harm. Also the tree may well become more resistant over the next few years, once it is not diverting as much energy as possible into developing a proper root system etc. Just the same, at this point from your picture, no worries.

Arktrees