# Dying Sugar Maple trees



## Menchhofer (Jul 17, 2004)

Lately I have been coming across young (20 years or so) sugar maple trees with orange/brown dead leaves just hanging on the tree.

I have been unable to find the cause of these trees dying to this date. Evidently the leaves turn brown almost overnight and the tree simply dies. In some instances, the client remembers the tree was partially affected the previous year or so.

I realize I cannot determine the cause of every tree infection/death, but these have stumped me.

Anyone have any ideas or come across this before?


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## B.Secord (Jul 17, 2004)

We have a similar problem up this way with Manitoba Maples-Acer negundo. The trees appear to be healthy and well maintained, however there are some limbs with a pale yellow coloring, and no apparent other damage. The effected leaves are usually the second or third node back from the apical bud. IF ANYONE knows what this may be, I would sure apperciate some input.


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## Ax-man (Jul 18, 2004)

Mench,

I know what your talking about, I've always attributed this to verticillum wilt. Some times it out right kills maples, but in others it only takes a limb or two, sometimes a third of the tree will be affected.

Unlike the other wilt diseases like DED and Oak Wilt, finding the streaking in the cambium is hard to find in one to three year growth, but if is there it will be green, usually in the larger limbs near the collar. 

Maples seem to be able to cope with this fungus, some Maples get hit many times during their lifetime, it is very evident in cross section of a stem when it comes time to do the dirty deed of removal.

I don't know if there is anything that can be injected to control vert. , but I've had luck at pruning the dead out and fertilize to keep the tree healthy and out grow the fungus.

I don't know if Boxelder is suseptible to vert. like Norway and Sugar Maples are, this might be something else. These wilt diseases show up and accelerate when we start to get warmer temps and short on moisture, that is why I call July the culling month, if a tree is on the way out it will show up in July.

Larry


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## Menchhofer (Jul 18, 2004)

I have considered vw in every case but it has been my experience that vw is gradual degrading of the tree but what I am seeing is the tree practically dies overnight.

I have looked for the tell tale signs of vw but have not been able to find evidence in many of the trees.


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## Dadatwins (Jul 18, 2004)

Anything that dies that quickly I would suspect methane gas , maybe trees planted over old septic field or landfill, natural gas broken pipe or man made sprayed chemical. The VW I have seen usually leaves a pretty easy to see greenish brown streaks in wood and is not that sudden. good luck


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## B.Secord (Jul 18, 2004)

Thanks for the input, I guess there might be one other piece of info I have neglected to offer. The maples look to be a little Chlorotic compared to the ash and poplar in the same yard. This seems a little odd in that the soil is a heavy clay loam, with a reasonable buffering capacity. This site also has a incredible irrigation system (drip), I think I am going to get the owner to have soil tests done, to determine if it might be a nutrient problem. I did speak to an associate of mine from 120 miles away, they are seeing similar things there.

As for the V Wilt, it is odd that none of the other trees are showing symtoms.

I just get frustrated by being contacted to determine the problem, and seldom get any paid work out of these issues.


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## John Stewart (Jul 22, 2004)

Hey 
Last year we saw a lot of this on Norway Maples through out the GTA in Ontario
Talked to a few people and nobody seemed to have a answer. Except maybe one fellow who is very well respected in our area.
He thought it was probably Verticillium and the reason we are seeing so much of it now is that we had several years of drought like conditions in this area.
Last year was wetter than most and the trees were finally starting to up take water 
He stated that Verticillium can lay dormant for years and with the sudden cambium flow it was activated.
It made sence to me and others scoffed
Has it been wetter now than the past few?
Also verticillium in Sugar Maples is not usually fatal unless road salt enters the issue.
Were these trees street trees?
Have you guys had bad winters latley resulting in more and longer applications of road salt?
Take Care
John


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## Dan F (Jul 28, 2004)

I haven't seen many sudden deaths of Sugar Maples around here (I live one county away from Steve), but then again, I'm not in the tree care business (at least when they get that old....).

This year has been relatively drier than the last two, though nothing has really been stressing for moisture. '02 and '03 both had very wet springs, '03 it seemed like it just rained all season. This year, April was pretty dry, but we've made up for it in the months since. Last year and so far this season it's been relatively cool too.

Winter of '02-'03 was a record snowfall year, I think it was around #9 or 10 on the list for snowfall amounts. Last winter was fairly snowfall free, but we did have some....

Help any?

I'm curious to know what may be causing this too.


Dan


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## BRIAN J. SMITH (Aug 11, 2004)

Get some good tissue samples and send it to a LAB!


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## Guy Meilleur (Aug 12, 2004)

"This site also has a incredible irrigation system (drip), I think I am going to get the owner to have soil tests done, to determine if it might be a nutrient problem."

Could it be overwatering? 
good idea to test soil.

"As for the V Wilt, it is odd that none of the other trees are showing symtoms."

Aren't maples more susceptible?

I just get frustrated by being contacted to determine the problem, and seldom get any paid work out of these issues.

I would be too. Have you considered charging for diagnosis so you can afford to do a thorough job?


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