Thanks for all responses. I'm beginning to think that maybe some of the damage is due to a day or two of heavy rains and winds. Even though the tree is under an overhang so did not get direct rain, there was definitely major winds. I should have moved it out of that area. The tree is planted just as it was in it's previous pot from the nursery except for in a larger pot. In terms of leaves slightly curling downwards instead of being flatter, does this usually mean too little water or too much? Or could this all be a reaction to too much daily wind? There is a slight breeze throughout the day, but nothing crazy. there is a lot of pollen from a nearby avocado tree that has collected all over the leaves. If, and this is what I am hoping it is, the damage is from the storm in tandem with the shock of being newly potted, would it be a good idea to prune off the dead leaves and dry twigs that have appeared? a lot of the dead/dying leaves are in clusters underneath other branches of leaves (sort of internal to the structure of the tree's foliage). I checked all the way down into the container to make sure of drainage again, and the soil is barely moist, so I really don't think it's too much water. We do have very alkaline water here in southern California. I was told to use rose or azalea food to help replenish the acidity in the soil, but didn't plan on using that for several months since the tree was just repotted. I'd like to post images of the tree, just need to figure out how!

In the top picture there is a narrow 'V' where the two main branches diverge. Narrow crotches like this split easier than branches that go out at a wider angle. Snow and ice usually do it as the branches get larger. Kids and dogs are also culprits, as is mishandling. If you look closely this has already happened at the very top of the maple. Choose a maple with a good structure that will hold a good canopy in the future. The lower left limb on my maple has no future as it will eventually be superceded by the branches above it. It does not contribute to supporting the canopy. It has subsequently been removed. I should have spotted it earlier.

"We also learned that the potting mix the JM's arrived in was heavy on the bark side.This is commonplace with all growers and grafters of JM's. It ROTS within 6-12 months, so the bark must be removed from the JM's whenever you up-pot...... Remember this: Growers don't ship plants with sustainable soil. It only lasts 6 months." I am going to disagree with this :-) While I don't do it commercially, I grow all my JM's in containers and have for many years.......my oldest is approaching 30 y.o. And my potting mix is and has always been heavily barked-based as it produces a very freely draining, textural and extremely durable media. With this barked based mix (the 5-1-1 discussed intensively on the Container Gardening forum), I do not need to repot or refresh the soil for 3-5 years depending on the container and the size of the tree. Even at that point the soil is still in reasonably good condition. The location and depth of the perched water table is entirely dependent on the soil media being used, not the size/depth of the container. It is quite possible to maintain a small seedling or 1 year graft in a 4" pot or a larger, 7" deep trade gallon for as long as necessary before up-potting provided you are using a highly textural soil that allows for fast drainage. Due to the vagaries of soil physics and water movement, there will always be a PWT in the base of the container but the better the potting mix, the lower/thinner the PWT will be. The reason growers focus on bark-based mixes is for this very reason. They hold up well long term yet provide the aeration and very necessary fast drainage but the degree of moisture retention JM's are happiest in. And also maintain a low PWT. Although it would not be my first choice, your perlite based mix should offer a similar situation. However, I would encourage you to disavow yourself of the notion that a barked based potting mix deteriorates rapidly. 30+ years of using it and growing a large collection of containerized trees (a variety but primarily JM's) has adequately proven that to be inaccurate :-) I would also encourage you to read this thread on container soils and water movement thoroughly to educate yourself on the many qualities of a bark-based mix.

First, I doubt you have a Bloodgood - the leaves are far too small/lobes too narrow, even on a young tree, for that cultivar. There are a lot JM's being sold as Bloodgood that are just seedling trees. That could account for the leaf aberration as well as the coloring. Bloogood is a very deep wine red color, although it can bronze up or lose some of its redness in full sun in hotter climates. But it should never have distinctly green leaves like what is showing in your photo. And no, it will not produce any more new leaves now. It is fall and the tree will be entering dormancy soon and dropping what remaining leaves it has. I hope you didn't pay much for it :-) It is in bad shape, suffered some serious drought stress and looks like it has some tip dieback as a result.....not to mention a good likelihood of labeling issues. Just get it planted and hope for the best in spring. btw, if you have more questions, it is advisable to start your own thread rather than tacking on to an old, stale one. And there is forum dedicated specifically to maples as well that will give you very precise JM advice.