Hi all. I purchased and planted two 10 foot Autumn Blaze Maples in my established yard in May 2022. I am located in central Utah, in the valley not far from Utah Lake. Both trees seemed healthy and did really well that first summer. As directed by the nursery where I purchased them, I gave them each root stimulator a couple of times that first year. Photo below is one of them that first summer.
They both did excellent the second summer too, with healthy looking leaves and no signs of trouble. They both grew quite a bit and were taller and wider than pictured above. However, this year NEITHER of them developed a single leaf! We may have had an odd winter, but it wasn’t extreme or super out of the ordinary. We have 6 tulip trees in our yard and they are all doing fine. All the other trees in the neighborhood are doing great. But our two prized young maples both went completely silent.
I’ve done the nail scratch test a few times throughout the summer and they seem somewhat alive, in that the bark is still soft and it’s moist underneath when scratched away. When it rains or after sprinklers, it’s obvious the tree is absorbing water as the bark turns darker at the base. It seems odd that BOTH would die at the same time, but I’m stumped. Is it possible they are both dormant and just “taking a year off,” and may fully recover next year? Is there something I should do right now to try to save them? Have I waited too long? I’m super sad about this and wish I knew more about what to do. I need advice from people who know more than me. Please help!
They both did excellent the second summer too, with healthy looking leaves and no signs of trouble. They both grew quite a bit and were taller and wider than pictured above. However, this year NEITHER of them developed a single leaf! We may have had an odd winter, but it wasn’t extreme or super out of the ordinary. We have 6 tulip trees in our yard and they are all doing fine. All the other trees in the neighborhood are doing great. But our two prized young maples both went completely silent.
I’ve done the nail scratch test a few times throughout the summer and they seem somewhat alive, in that the bark is still soft and it’s moist underneath when scratched away. When it rains or after sprinklers, it’s obvious the tree is absorbing water as the bark turns darker at the base. It seems odd that BOTH would die at the same time, but I’m stumped. Is it possible they are both dormant and just “taking a year off,” and may fully recover next year? Is there something I should do right now to try to save them? Have I waited too long? I’m super sad about this and wish I knew more about what to do. I need advice from people who know more than me. Please help!
