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Something, disease, fungus, bug? on Jap. maple

12 years ago

Something has hit my japanese fireglow maple. I cut down a silverbell tree that was competing with it and growing up against it. Now I notice problems on that side of the tree. Nothing major but if it portends a serious problem I want to nip it in the bud. The hosta underneath it doesn't look to good either, so I'm wondering if the two problems are related. Here are some pics. Sorry they are blurry, the breeze was causing the leaves to move while I was taking the photos. The photos look rather indistinct, but then so does this tree malady. There seems to be problems both on the leaves and twig bark. Any ideas?

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Comments (5)

Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
12 years ago
Sunburn.

Dan
lpinkmountain
Original Author
12 years ago
On the one hand that's what I thought, but the entire tree is sitting in full sun. That side was partly shaded, but not sure why those leaves suddenly got sunburn? Do leaves change their composition depending on the light conditions? Also, why would the twigs have this white blush on them if it's sunburn? Could be two unrrelated issues? I hate to wait until something goes terribly wrong to address this.
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I thought I had a mystery Clematis failure with a vine planted this Spring until the Armillaria (honey fungus) mushrooms appeared in the pot. So I duly decided that the fungus had gotten the Clematis, even though the Japanese Maple in the same container is just fine, and even though I've observed Clematis doing just fine in other areas of my garden next to honey fungus colonies. It turns out it wasn't wilt, wasn't fungus, wasn't bugs (well, not directly): It was rampaging kitten CHASING bugs and tearing up the vine as he raced after the bugs. The reason the Clematis in the other container (also containing a Japanese Maple) is doing okay is because there's a pot of cane begonias blocking his route through the Clematis.
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Looks like a combination of bugs eating leaves, sun exposure, and too much grass. Gently pull up the grass and pit down mulch. It is the end of the summer so the tree is getting ready to go dormant. No point in spraying for bugs now. Next spring pounce if u see the japanese beetles. How much sun does the tree get? how was the summer, wet or dry?
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botann
12 years ago
If you cut the Silverbell tree down after the Japanese Maple trees leafed out then probably the damage is due to the sudden exposure of sunlight.
Mike
whaas_5a
12 years ago
Yes, there is too much green in the leaf for it to have been exposed to full sun.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
e.g. .... when you grow plants in the house ... you have to HARDEN them off to sunlight ... acclimate them .... you cant just throw them in strong sun ..

you did basically the same thing ... by removing the shading tree ... you changed the ambient light.. and it has had an impact ...

otherwise.. after a month of 6 inches of rain.. and a very cold may ... i had 3 days over 100 ... and the rest of the week over 85 ... i have much similar damage ... and its what i call scorch ... you left ambient weather out of your facts.. or i missed it ...

regardless.. there is nothing to do about it.. unless you just want to clip a few of the leaves off.. just to reduce the visual impact .. and i dont mean taking off limbs... unless for other reasons.. you might be surprised.. that just taking a very few.. will make the problem almost disappear ... i do it on hosta clumps all the time ...

ken

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