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Possible problem with Japanese Maple

6 months ago

I noticed white spots on the leaves of the little Japanese Maple tree that I am trying to grow. I have another smaller one (this one is about a foot and a half in height) with no problems, and our large one (about 25 feet tall) is healthy and fine.

It is turning to Autumn here in Maryland, and this tree is perhaps about two years old (I found it growing in a rough area of our yard this past spring and replanted it to a place where it would get some sun).

Is there something going on here that I need to be concerned about? If so, is there anything that I can do about it? I know little about trees and would really like to let this little guy grow, so any help would be appreciated.

Thanks -

george

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Comments (5)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
6 months ago
Looks a bit like the start of some powdery mildew. And considering it is late in the season, that's not terribly surprising - late summer/early fall is PM season. In fact, it's somewhat more surprising the little guy still has leaves left on it in November!!.

It is nothing to be very concerned about although I would make sure all the leaves are cleared up and disposed of when they do finally fall.
George Smyth thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 months ago
no use to treat leaf problems on a plant that will drop the leaves in a few weeks or so ...

mid november is pretty far from 'turning' to autumn... is it planted near that river... de nile??? ... lol ... we got 2 inches of snow last week.. its autumn.. trust me...

ignore it.. and spend a minute cleaning up the leaves so they arent there in spring...

ken
George Smyth thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
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George Smyth
Original Author
6 months ago
Thanks for the comments. Here in Maryland we generally get wimp winters, so it'll be in the 50s the rest of this week and probably not get cold for a month.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
6 months ago
Powdery mildew spores not only overwinter in fallen leaf debris, but on the tree itself. I encourage the removal of all the dead and fllen leaves and old mulch later on in the winter. Then, before any kind of warm up in the spring, a thorough application of a dormant oil on the bark, twigs, and the buds can be an extremely helpful preventative treatment against another outbreak. It doesn’t need to even be a heavy dormant oil….Neem oil has been proven to be an excellent choice for this purpose. A fresh layer of mulch is important, pine straw being especially suited for this job.

I sure wouldn’t sit around waiting for spring!
cecily 7A
6 months ago
If you're in the DC area, our 2023 rainfall total thus far is 12 inches below normal. Please deep water the little guy.

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