These things often do this. Maybe the soil is too wet. If you amended the planting hole only it may be receiving and collecting water during wet periods. Or the plant came from the nursery infected with something or your soil was already infested. Do not apply a drench without having a pretty good idea it is appropriate. Using a pesticide because you don't know what is going on is the OPPOSITE of an appropriate time to apply a pesticide.

My photos were there earlier, where'd they go? Here's another try in lower resolution--

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{{gwi:1043528}}

Photos still dying as well. Guess you're having bad luck.

Don't feel bad at least you got the X'S to come up ...I think whoever designed this site really didn't want us to use up it's bandwidth with photos ...either that or they were on drugs cause even after a year this computer savy JM'r is not able to post 'em...well maybe if I wanted to spend HOURS learning ...then maybe ...but I got better things yo do ...so don't feel like a loser just feel your now part of the "rest of us"...david

Thanks for your input. I contacted my local coop extension service agent and we shipped tree and soil samples for testing for $10.

I still welcome anybody's input if you have any insight into this problem.

I don't know why, but my pics are back. I'm guessing that by the time you look, they'll be gone again.

Thanks for reading.

I agree with the other post that unless the entire bed was amended, you have probably created a bowl of amended soil where you planted the maple. If the soil is wet, then it's most likely receiving too much water. In very warm weather coral barks tend to suffer from leaftip burn. I just made the mistake of moving one from a regular mostly shade to 1/2 sun and the poor plant suffered terribly. I moved it back and it's doing better.

I have a similar soil situation in my backyard. I just imported around 4 cu. yards of soil to create a berm and avoid trapping water. I also amended the clay soil before adding the berm. If your soil test only contained soil from the amended portion of your soil it may not reflect whether adjacent soil to too clayey and trapping water. From my visit a month ago to NC, I can tell you I've never seen more healthier fast-growing maples than lovely NC. If it weren't for the humidity, I'd be your neighbor. Visited the Duke and NC State Arboretum while there - great places!

Thanks for everyboyd's advice.

Mapler-- Thanks for your input especially. I didn't think about including a sample of the surrounding clay soil. I'll post the test results. In the absence of any strong directions from the coop ext. office when the results come back, I'm thinking I'll move the tree to a more shaded side and plant on top of the soil.

I don't think the tree will make it through the summer in it's current place as the blackening has spread down to another formerly healthy branch just this week.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Sango Kaku disease photo

"Server Not Found." I have seen many coralbark (and some other) maples with blackening and dieback at various locations over the years. In fact, at one property I spend part of the week at I am thinking I should no longer attempt to get maples going, dieback and failure is so likely.

"Verticillium wilt is becoming too common. If it were not for this sad fact, I would likely rank this a five-star tree. It is unparalled in its diversity of form, color, leaf shape, and role in the landscape. Many dozens of different kinds are sold in nurseries. But I am tired of hearing from people whose prized specimens are on the decline. For whatever reason, this ugly disease has become more prevalent in the last decade."

Yours may have this or another problem (Vertrees, JAPANESE MAPLES describes several maple blights, as do other sources), but the result is likely to be the same.

Here is a link that might be useful: Article - Overplanted in Seattle by Arthur Lee Jacobson