We moved to this house in April, and noticed the previously thriving (in summer and fall last year) Japanese maple looks dead except for one branch. The other shrubs around it look fine.
Can the tree be saved? If not, should we avoid planting another Japanese maple at the site?
Your advice is most appreciated.
Thank you for contacting Toronto Master Gardeners.
There could be a few reasons why your Japanese Maple has declined, such as verticillium wilt, leaf blight, leaf scorch and root damage, over watering or underwatering, environmental stresses. Our Toronto Master Gardener Website has detailed information on Japanese Maples diseases, stressors, and why your tree may have lost its leaves. To confirm if it is the fungal disease verticillium wilt, the soil under the tree should be tested. There is no cure for verticillium wilt and planting in soil that is infected will infect the new plantings.
Japanese Maple Loosing Healthy Leaves in June
You many want to replace the Japanese Maple with an alternative small tree that is resistant or immune to verticillium wilt, such as Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), Crabapples, Birch trees, Honey locust, Hornbeam, Linden, Willows or conifers such as Fir, Spruce, Juniper, Pine, Larch.
Once you have chosen the replacement tree Toronto Master Gardeners has a guide on planting a tree for life: Planting a tree for life a Toronto Master Gardeners Guide
For your interest we also have a link to our Toronto Master Gardeners Guide to growing Japanese Maples: Master Gardeners Guide to Growing Japanese Maples
June 3, 2024