Looks pathogenic, maybe bacterial blight.

Is there anything I can do to help the tree out? If I leave it alone, will it eventually grow out of the disease? It just seems strange that it has grown so little, and its leaves have not developed. I'm attaching another image. It would be fine if this were a brand new, just-budding tree -- but it's been stuck like this for months, and the leaves look like they can't develop past this stage ...

For comparison, here's the other Autumn blaze, planted at the same time, and it was about the same height/age as the struggling tree. They are actually about 15 feet apart

where are you

i have a lot of such damage on trees from the 23 degree freeze a month ago ...

any chance at dog pee ... sniff the soil.. I AM NOT KIDDING ... lol ...

and snip off the low branches on the healthy one ... the one at 6 inches or so ...

and it looks like you highly amended the soil at planting.. explain your system ...

ken

I built up a flower bed around the sick tree - I decided to surround the tree with a flower bed after planting it, and I dig not want to dig down around it for fear of cutting into tree roots ,,, I live in Washington DC, we had an overall mild winter- consistently cold and wet, but no deep freezes or real snow this year

I guess if it were me, I'd just dig it out and have a look-see at the roots. If it is not a bacterial problem, then it may be a root problem. At this growth stage, why struggle with it? If what you see when you dig it up indicates root issues, it would be as good a time as any to replace it this year with a healthy specimen. It will catch up quickly and you'll never notice any difference in the two. My mate and I replaced a sophora tree last year who had struggled for fifteen years through numerous issues, never really thriving but never nasty enough to destroy. It was in a major spot of interest and those places deserve beauty, it's why you plant them in the first place.

Definitely check the roots. You have nothing to lose at this point. A girdling root could cause all of your symptoms.

Thank you all so much! I will look at the roots

I dug up the maple this evening and I am attaching a photo of the roots - what do you think? I puts the maple in a container for this evening in case it is salvageable ... Many thanks for the input!!

Here's a closer shot of the roots

I'm leaning towards the suggested pathogenic problem (Verticillium wilt, Armillaria rot, etc). These problems can show similar early symptoms on young trees. Since you have it out, take the tree to the local Ag extension agency for an analysis (they should be glad to help you). In the meantime, go to the local boxstore and purchase a cheap pH test kit to check the pH level of the soil within the planting area. Autumn Blaze can be a little susceptible to alkaline soils (pH 7.5 and higher) even though some say not. The leaves look a little chlorotic.

Do not replant with another maple cultivar until all of your test results come back for proper problem identification.

As a side: that looks like a man-hole cover in the sidewalk behind the trees in your pic, did you plant the trees on city property? and also are there any utilities in this region (burried and/or above)?

Chlorosis is unlikely in DC - typical pH around here is 5.5 - 6.5.

The hell strips in our area are not city property. They have easement on them for utilities, but you maintain them and pay taxes on them and you can plant anything you wish unless or until it interferes with something like wires.

Morning everyone -- so last night after I dug up the tree I decided to feel around the roots after reading up on what a girdling root was - the tree had two of its stronger/more developed roots that had developed in almost a complete circle around the tree, so that all the fibrous material was trapped in kind of a very wet bulbous-shaped web. I then read up on how to prune roots and did my best to straighten out the roots/shear out some of the problem roots - it was amazing how stubborn/unwilling the circling roots were to untangle. I know sometimes that puts the tree in too much shock and I may lose it anyway, but I replanted it last night -- I figure I can give it a week or two to see if there's any improvement in its condition. Thank you all for all of the input!!

Hairmetal--yep, I understand about the general acidic soils in and around dc. Many times soils near concrete sidewalks and near paved streets have varialbe pH numbers due to leaching of lime (from concrete), de-icing salts and other chemicals carried by storm run-off from the street.

Girdling roots look to be a problem for sure, although I am not sure that is causing your (immediate) issue. You said you built up a flower bed around the tree... did you bury the tree's roots? That might cause issues. Make sure when you replant, the point where the roots meet the trunk is not buried.
Scratch the bark - if it is green it is alive and it might re-sprout. Not sure how hardy those maples are - I don't have any.