Death of maples in the landscape

July 28, 2010

Amanda Sears UK Cooperative Extension agent for Horticulture The Richmond Register Wed Jul 28, 2010, 11:01 AM EDT

RICHMOND — There have been reports pretty much statewide of landscape maple trees suddenly dying, according to the University of Kentucky. Homeowners usually report the sudden wilting and death of their trees; in some cases this is true, but in others, twig growth and tree ring analysis suggest that many of the dying maple trees have not been growing well for some years.

Although there does not seem to be just a singular cause for the decline and death of landscape maples, most of the causes are made worse by periods of drought (which we had just a few years ago). In addition to drought, there have been a number of factors observed that have caused death or triggered decline and death of maples, including:

   •   Girdling roots are probably the leading cause of decline. Look for a flare in the tree trunk right above the ground level. If the trunk goes straight into the ground like a telephone pole, a poor root system can be suspected. Girdling roots are often a response to too-deep planting, often two or three decades or more after the tree was transplanted.

   •    Verticillium wilt may infect all types of maples, and also can cause disease in tulip trees, catalpas, golden-rain trees and redbuds. Often developing on branches on one side of the tree first, leaves progressively wilt and die throughout the tree during the growing season. Where infections occurred late in the previous season, trees may not have even leafed out this year, or if they did, they immediately died. The Verticillium fungus is often more active in stressed trees.

   •    Bacterial leaf scorch can affect many kinds of maples in Kentucky, but appears to be most common on red maples.

   •    Canker and collar rot will appear as water-soaked bark spots. Collar rot can cause bark decay and wood staining, as well as the death of the top of the tree. Usually, collar rots and bleeding cankers lead to gradual decline of infected trees. The fungus that causes these rots (Phytophthora) is favored by high soil moisture levels, especially temporary flooding.

   •    Restricted rooting space. Sugar maples planted as street trees sometimes lack space for their roots to grow. Such trees with inadequate root systems would be especially vulnerable to drought and temporary flooding stresses. Soil compaction from foot traffic, construction, or other activities crushes small roots and makes soils impervious to invasion by new roots. Affected maples may decline.

   •    De-icing salts used the previous winters can sometimes be a factor in tree decline.

   •    Mechanical injuries. Construction such as laying utilities severs roots and triggers decline. Wounds to the trunk or large branches can also have negative effects on maple tree health.

When we see a sick-looking tree, our first thought tends to be of some infectious diseases, but often the problem is with environmental stresses although weather conditions also can play a heavy role. In most cases, there is no reversing the decline. For those with still-healthy maples, continue to provide good growing conditions and be observant for the first indications of maple distress such as leaf scorch, premature fall color, and branch tip dieback.

Educational programs of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

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