What's up with my autumn blaze?

last year

last modified: last year

I planted this tree late last summer. The tree seemed to wake up fine from a long winter. over the last few days ive noticed this..droppy leaves.. tree seems to be stressed

the site is pretty wet at times. i had a blackfum omanted inbthe exact same spot and it did very poorly. whats going on?

Featured Answer

mntreegrower

last year

What is your soil like? Is it heavy with clay? I've had newly-planted Autumn Blaze look peaked like this in the past and it was always due to the soil staying too wet. And it only occurred in the lower areas of my fields during rainy summers. Despite this, many of the trees still lived but they were stuck in neutral for years and I had to cut my losses. Once a tree's vigor is lost it can take a long time to recover.

I wouldn't ever label Autumn Blaze as super hardy. In my experience, the tree suffers sunscald, frost crack, and tip die-back at a much higher rate than other maple cultivars touted as zone 3 and 4 hardy. Once established with a fattening trunk and mature bark beginning to form they might be fine, but I've seen a zone 3 central Minnesota winter cull many younger, smaller trees.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (21)

L Clark (zone 4 WY)
last year
Looks fairly normal to me. Can you give a picture of the whole tree?
splaker thanked L Clark (zone 4 WY)
splaker
Original Author
last year
It's definitely not. The leafs are curved inward - quite a lot too if you look carefully
Related Discussions
Autumn Blaze Maple form
Q
Comments (7)
Ken, as I stated in the original message, I am only asking out of curiosity...I am NOT complaining about the shape...only making an observation and asking a couple of questions about it. As a matter of fact, I rather like an irregularly shaped tree, so if it doesn't turn out to be an oval as I had believed it would, I'm perfectly OK with that...if it turns out to be oval, I'm OK with that, too. In regards to my comment about growth rate and not planting big anymore...as you state, I know now that a 5' tree planted 5 yrs ago would probably net the same size plant as I have today. This is true, which is why I now only plant smaller plants. I have learned my lesson. I am disappointed in the ABM's growth rate, as I was believing that I would get faster growth than I have (I would say my ABM has only grown about 6" per year the past 4 years). I did not expect fantastic growth the first season or even the second season, but the claims I read about 3+ feet of growth each year made me think that I could expect more than 6" each year, especially these past couple of years. This season, so far, I've seen a little over 6" of growth already and am hopeful that the faster growth is on it's way.
...See More
Autumn Blaze maple rescued from WalMart
Q
Comments (7)
the tree was struggling and I figured it needed all the leaves it had ==>> pure genius.. if i say so myself ... i have quoted you a hundred times .. in the last few years ..... lol ... at this size ... age ... etc... i think you ought to go find something else to worry about ... this thing is bulletproof ... i see the clay cracking in the hole... but some peeps say a root mass can be twice as big as the tree ... though in a different form ... so even if the disturbed soil at the trunk is dry ... who cares... its roots are 20 feet in every direction by now.. and it is not suffering for water ... and the pic shows that ... and i think i see some fine lawn out there.. if you fert the lawn.. this will get any and all fert it ever needs.. no need to ever fert this tree again.. in any manner .... and finally.. nice to see a planting ... with a tree planted far enough from the house.. that it wont crush it ... in the decades to come... its like you really thought this all out.. and acted accordingly .. in other words .. great job all around ... it so refreshing to see someone who did not plant it 15 inches from the house.. and now wants to know.. if it will effect the foundation .. or on top of the septic field.. etc ... two thumbs up ... just dont worry about it any more ... ken
...See More
Co-dominant leaders on a Autumn Blaze Maple
Q
Comments (7)
I'd re-post this with links to the pictures...none of the links work. I had a similar situation this last fall. I had 2 arborists looks at it and ended up getting it pruned off, its looks goofy right now. I could post a picture as well. To answer your other questions: When to prune - DO NOT prune it now, this is the worst time to prune it. Maples should be pruned early summer or late fall. Being from the milwaukee area and seeing and growing AB maple, the tree will be in striking distance of your house in 10 years. The chances of the co-dominant leader snapping really depends on the pic. The tigher the crotch angle the worse off.
...See More
What is wrong with my Autumn Blaze maple?
Q
Comments (2)
It's a little tough to see, but I had some similar damage on a red maple cultivar last year. Turns out it was a borer that had penetrated the bark the previous year. It got smushy and then eventually I could peel the outer layer off. The tree did not grow much last year, but it did wall off a good portion of the damage by the end of the season. Maybe you'll have similar success. Just make sure it stays watered. I did not do any extra fertilization.
...See More
splaker
Original Author
last year
Leaves
splaker
Original Author
last year
I'm from Toronto. Out crappy hockey team are called the leafs. 😁
splaker
Original Author
last year
The leaves appear to be wilting as they are curved downward
L Clark (zone 4 WY)
last year
The grass is so green drought stress seems unlikely
splaker thanked L Clark (zone 4 WY)
splaker
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
the opposite... I believe I did mention that it get too much water - although everything I hear about these trees is that they thrive in wet soils... maybe it's too saturated.. My blackgum tree withered away in the exact same spot and I got rid of it and planted this.. It's at the base of a septic field... My septic field might actually be failing so perhaps some impurities are entering the soil?
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
last year
planted last fall.. not enough roots to support the usual explosive spring maple growth ... AND ...

perhaps they arent done opening or budding out .. they havent fully hardened off ...

water it properly. and look for a tree that doesnt reflect so poorly on your hockey team.. in other words.. anything but a maple next time.. lol ..

ken
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
last year
btw.. did you know.. in severe drought.. corn wraps its glossy green leaves to expose the back of the leaf in hot blinding sun ...

maybe contrary to your water thoughts... it needs water.. dig a hole or two.. and FIND OUT .. water if necessary ...

otherwise.. i thinking.. you will be hard pressed to kill this thing with proper water ...

ken
splaker
Original Author
last year
The autumn blaze is supposed to be super hardy are they not?
splaker
Original Author
last year
Still not looking good... I'm convinced that there's something wrong with the soil in that spit.
splaker
Original Author
last year
Spot
FrozeBudd_z3/4
last year
last modified: last year
Yes, 'Autumn Blaze' is super hardy to below -40

You mentioned of the site being pretty wet at times, then that's what I'd be most concerned of.
splaker
Original Author
last year
I thought these things thrive in wet soils
splaker
Original Author
last year
They are crossed with silver maples
FrozeBudd_z3/4
last year
Splaker, sometimes can make a difference between being newly planted and getting settled in and an established specimen with roots running far and wide.

I have 'Skinner's Cut Leaf Silver Maple' and love the thing, too bad I hadn't planted as a stand alone specimen instead of tucking near the forest where blends in all too much, the foliage is superb though!
L Clark (zone 4 WY)
last year
last modified: last year
Autumn blaze is not a great tree IMO. Many have been tried in my town and ZERO have survived. Plus, any mature tree I've seen anywhere has severe chlorosis
splaker
Original Author
last year
I have a bur oak in a pot that needs planting. Do you think they'd do well in there if it is on the wet side? I've read they can do well in wet soil.
L Clark (zone 4 WY)
last year
Can you grow neat trees like bald cypress or metasequoia? I think those really like wet soil
splaker
Original Author
last year
We can grow them here. But tamarack might be better. I believe they prefer wet soil or am I wrong?

What's up with my autumn blaze?

mntreegrower

Comments (21)

L Clark (zone 4 WY)

splaker
Original Author

Related Discussions

splaker
Original Author

splaker
Original Author

splaker
Original Author

L Clark (zone 4 WY)

splaker
Original Author

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

splaker
Original Author

splaker
Original Author

splaker
Original Author

FrozeBudd_z3/4

splaker
Original Author

splaker
Original Author

FrozeBudd_z3/4

L Clark (zone 4 WY)

splaker
Original Author

L Clark (zone 4 WY)

splaker
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

What's up with my autumn blaze?

Comments (21)

splakerOriginal Author

Related Discussions

splakerOriginal Author

splakerOriginal Author

splakerOriginal Author

splakerOriginal Author

splakerOriginal Author

splakerOriginal Author

splakerOriginal Author

splakerOriginal Author

splakerOriginal Author

splakerOriginal Author

splakerOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

splaker
Original Author

splaker
Original Author

splaker
Original Author

splaker
Original Author

splaker
Original Author

splaker
Original Author

splaker
Original Author

splaker
Original Author

splaker
Original Author

splaker
Original Author

splaker
Original Author

splaker
Original Author