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#51266 May 24th, 2007 at 09:53 PM
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I have a silver maple that's probably about 20 years old. The past two seasons it's had black wilty edges on some of the leaves. Last August they began to get really black and drop long before they should have. I though I might have lost the tree, but it came back this spring, again with the wilt.
Does anyone know what this is and/or how to treat it?
I have four other maples in my yard (2 red, 2 silver) and although one loss would be sad, losing all would be terrible. Is it contagious???

ShadyLadyMN #51297 May 25th, 2007 at 04:41 AM
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Ever hear of the saying, "As sick as a silvermaple?". They usually end up with an iron deficiency if your soil has too much Alkaline.

Do the leaves looked scorched on the ends? If so, could be Maple Anthracnose. It's a fungi. I heard nitrogen helps it. Also you have bag up and throw away the infected leaves that fall, it can re-infect itself.

Cut off a branch where the leaves are infected and peel back the bark, if there are black streaks it could be Verticillium wilt.

It's hard to say with out a photo, could you explain the leaves more detailed possibly? I had problems with a silver maple, it was young so I just dug it out and replaced it with a red maple.


~~Tam~ You can bury all your troubles by digging in the dirt.
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Sunflowers #51519 May 25th, 2007 at 10:02 AM
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http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnails...721_46080721/fromupload=true/t_=46080721

Here are some pictures, assuming that I did this right. Thanks for the tips.

ShadyLadyMN #51566 May 25th, 2007 at 12:19 PM
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[Linked Image]
OK Here's a picture for real...

ShadyLadyMN #51981 May 26th, 2007 at 11:06 AM
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the pic is Red Maple


I love the sweet scents wafting in the breeze. I stop to admire the vibrant colors of all living things. And people think me odd. Then ODD I am!!!

RugbyHukr #51994 May 26th, 2007 at 12:19 PM
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Hi RugbyHukr -
The tree in the background, kind of off and to the right is a red maple. The one with the leaves in the foreground is a silver maple, I'm pretty sure. Either way - do you know what's wrong with it? Someone suggested a fungus. What do you think?

Sunflowers #51996 May 26th, 2007 at 12:21 PM
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Hi Tamara. Thanks for the ideas. I posted a picture so you can see if your opinion has changed. I would say they look scorched. So, if it's a fungus, where do I buy nitrogen and how do I aplly it???

ShadyLadyMN #52143 May 26th, 2007 at 06:07 PM
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Would you consider removing the silver maples in your yard? They are magnets for disease, crowd out other more desirable trees, crack foundations and driveways, raise sidewalks and porches and have roots that will eventually take over your entire yard and that of your neighbors, making it impossible to grow anything in their vicinity. As they age they become prone to breaking off or being uprooted in ice and wind storms. Of course, they seem only to have this happen when they reach a full height of 120' and thus take out half of the neighborhood out when they come down. Their tangled massive root systems are just as noteworthy.

Silver, Norway and Amur Maples are considered nusiance trees. They might be ok for scrub land but don't belong in residental yards or rural areas with wells and septics.

Might I assume by the MN in your screen name that you reside in Minnesota? Have some information you might find useful if you do reside in Minnesota.

herbalyn #52253 May 27th, 2007 at 03:41 AM
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Personally, I'd remove it as well, mind you a 20 year old tree is beautiful as well. If you want to try save it you can buy a salt based nitrogen fertilizer at a garden supply store, manure and mulch will help as well.

Just keep raking and throwing away the leaves as well. if it is a fungi it will stay in the ground when the leaves decompose there.


~~Tam~ You can bury all your troubles by digging in the dirt.
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Sunflowers #52288 May 27th, 2007 at 07:39 AM
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Wow. I had no idea they were such a potential problem. I definitely will consider removing them. We actually built our deck around the one that is now sick, so it really will be missed. However, the tree itself is only about twelve feet from the house. I really don't want to be looking at foundation problems and honestly would love a little more sun in the yard. What a shock.
I do live in Minnesota - central Minnesota to be exact.

ShadyLadyMN #52492 May 27th, 2007 at 03:14 PM
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no, your pic is Red Maple

this is Silver Maple , it has deeply lobed leaves


I love the sweet scents wafting in the breeze. I stop to admire the vibrant colors of all living things. And people think me odd. Then ODD I am!!!

ShadyLadyMN #52529 May 27th, 2007 at 05:06 PM
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Shady -
Visit this website: http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/fertilize.html
then use the same site but switch fertilize with amendments.html. Check the roots link. Site has researched info. This is a good site to bookmark for future reference.

I would advise against feeding a stressed tree. The same with digging into roots to amend the soil. If you decide to feed at a later date a slow release fertilizer is the way to go. Salt based fertilzers aren't for woody perennials.

I would think some major damage was done to the tree when the deck was installed. The soil is probably so compacted that roots can't take up water, if any is reaching them since they are under a deck. They aren't getting any air either. Roots of trees cannot be covered up by anything. Decks, built up boxes, or covered over with lots of soil. When a tree is stressed it is vulnerable to insect and disease that would not have bothered it when it was healthy pre deck. If the tree is a red maple it's worth saving. Call your extension service and ask about a tree arborist.

I'd still remove any silver maples you may have. I have several varieties of maples that occasionally suffer from tar spot. This is a spot that is raised and a very shiny black. The size can vary. Have had them on leaf edges but not to the extent yours are. Tar spot usually starts as a pale green yellow spot, toughens, raises and turns black.

Last edited by herbalyn; May 27th, 2007 at 05:39 PM.
herbalyn #52532 May 27th, 2007 at 05:14 PM
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Hey, Rugby your right, I never noticed but it isn't a silver maple. A silver maple had defined leaves like a japanese maple.

Well Shadylady, since we all have different opinions on the matter, might be best to call in an expert if you really want to save the tree.


~~Tam~ You can bury all your troubles by digging in the dirt.
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