I've had 2 JM's succumb to this. The first was a fairly new Azahi Zuru that supposedly had a different variety of verticillium wilt, where it was completely dead in 2 weeks- the trunk turned black first and then all the branches and leaves wilted. The second was a Crimson Queen that I'd had in the ground for at least 5 years. I had it analyzed through my local extension and they confirmed VW. It had probably lost about 1/3 of it's branches too. Becuause it looked so bad, I didn't even try to save it. I've heard of stories of other JM's living for quite a few years with a lot of pampering, but I'm not sure if they can ever fully recover.

I haven't gone to the extension office, but the symptoms sure seem to indicate that it's the case. This tree was planted about 3 years ago and I hate to lose it, but we're already looking for something to replace it. We had another JM die of the same thing, and it took it 2 seasons to go completely. I might just go ahead and take this one out and get it over with.

Makes me ill, since it's just really starting to get gorgeous.

I wouldn't replace it with a Japanese Maple. It got verticillium wilt from the grower or being overwatered and fertilized by you.

It was said: "It got verticillium wilt from the grower or being overwatered and fertilized by you."

I disagree. It got verticillium because the verticillium fungus is in the soil.

And maples, especially Japanese maples, are *very* susceptible.

I agree with Jean. VW is a peculiar type of pathogen......it is present in most NW soils and can remain in a type of dormancy/inactivity for an extended period of time. And it is opportunistic -- trees that are stressed, especially with regards to the root system, are an open invitation for the pathogen to invade, although perfectly healthy trees can be affected as well. Avoiding root disturbance or droughty/poor drainage conditions can help. Do not replant in the same area with a susceptible species, as the pathogen can also remain active in the soil indefinitely.

And there is no cure. The tree may linger for several years or just as likely, die virtually overnight. It IS a heartbreaking situation when a well-established J. maple (or other plant) succumbs, but not really anything one can do to prevent it.

We're checking out non-susceptible trees already.

So, if we have the pathogen present in our soil, is it pretty much inevitable that my other maples will get it? I wasn't aware that it was a problem when we moved here and started landscaping--you see so many people with JMs in their yards, and the nurseries sell them like crazy.

What amazes me is that there are so many big leaf and vine maples growing wild--you'd think that maples would not be a successful native tree. One of the first trees that we lost was a vine maple, which caused me to start researching what caused the deaths of some young maples in the yard.

Is it a fairly safe bet that it's verticillium, given the dark streaks in the wood? Or should I get it analyzed by the extension office?

What may come from the grower is Pseudomonas. It may also infest the plant on your site.

It's not inevitable that other existing maples will get it. But it is a possibility. I had a western redbud that succumbed - they too are quite susceptible - and because I had additional susceptible species in close proximity, I elected not to remove the dead tree to avoid any root disturbance. I grew a clematis on it instead :-) The remains eventually rotted away.

I also lost a Japanese maple to it, in an entirely different area of my garden. Other J. maples in the garden so far have not been affected (this has been more than 10 years), but I tried to maintain the trees in very good health and avoided any unnecessary cultivation in their root zone. Acer palmatum tends to be more prone than other maple species but any can get it. Keeping the trees in good health, free of stress, any root damage or disturbance and sterilizing pruning tools will reduce the potential for it spreading elsewhere. And I also chose to grow the rest of my maples in containers:-) But even that's no guarantee.

Thanks for all the information. It doesn't look so much like Pseudomonas, although that sounds like something that's going on with one of my other trees. I'll have to hit it with a little copper spray. Sounds like we'll have to try to be kind to the trees we have, and in the future plant things that are resistant. More witch hazels!

Gardengal, sorry to hear about that redbud. We didn't realize that they were sensitive and planted an eastern redbud where we lost a maple last year--we think it was also VW. We'll have to see how it goes.

I don't care if every blade of grass in the yard dies, but I really hate to lose a tree.

I have a Japanese Laceleaf maple I planted about 10 years ago (no longer know the name, altho I may search around the trunk to see if I left a name tag there somewhere). About 3-4 years ago the top of the main trunk suddenly died. The next year, a few main branches also died. I figured the whole tree was on its way out. But no more died last year or this year & it's now growing well - rather wide & bushy. I'm really hoping it will continue to thrive.

That might be Pseudomonas, since it attacks from the outside when infesting a plant for the first time. It likes cold and damp conditions. Much of the Camano Island site I have been gardening is near an air and water drainage, a swale that comes from up the hill and brings a stream past and into a lake. We have had a chronic problem with maples blighting off there, I am sure it is Pseudomonas. Often there will be a mist over the garden and a chilliness that is not even present close by, where the house is - on slightly higher ground.