problems with acer platanoides

[NCTREE]

I have a norway maple in the yard that has some problems this year. It's been a very wet spring here this year and we had some warm temps back in March that initiated the tree to bud followed by a few nights where the temps dropped below freezing. I noticed the side away from the house never leafed out. It seems that shortly after tree started budding that some of the branches had bud and twig dieback. The infected branched are still green which is promising.
I'm hoping that it is not serious like a root rot. MY guess is that it's either frost damage or anthracnose. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[NCTREE]

Ok so I ruled out frost and anthracnose, but here's a another clue: gray streaking in the xylem. I spread some wood chips around the tree a few years ago which I thought was from a perfectly healthy ash tree. This early spring I mulched over the chips with a thin layer of mulch. I did edge the mulch ring when I spread the ash chips and in the process severed a small amount of finer feeder roots.

 

[ATH]

What does the root flare look like?

 

[ronnyb]

Look for symptoms and signs of verticillium wilt. Google it for details. Can be spread through infected chips.

 

[NCTREE]

Look for symptoms and signs of verticillium wilt. Google it for details. Can be spread through infected chips.

I think you may be on to something. The root flare looks fine no issue. I think the virticillium wilt may have been introduced from the wood chips. When I edged the mulch ring I injured some roots . Virticilluim wilt enter through the root system typically from a wound. I will have to replace the tree with a species that is resistant to the wilt.