Hello, now that the winter is slowly coming to an end I took my maples who had been in an unheated garage throughout the winter and had a look at them. After inspecting them, my Deshojo and my Arakawa seem to have some damage. The Deshojo (first 6 pictures) has a few red healthy looking buds at the small stem leaning left on the first pic. Rest of the buds look black. The arakawa (last 5 pictures) has a brown section on the stem and a few black dots. The buds are looking very healthy and no branch looks dead. Does anyone know what both or one of the trees have?
Diagnose on Deshojo and Arakawa
- Thread starter sxvi
- Start date
Deep Sea Diver
Masterpiece
Both look like they were infected when pruning. This can be caused by poor pruning practices, which appears to be the case. or pruning when it was wet outside, as happens with fall prunes of maples in the PacNW that aren’t sealed properly after cut back.
The Deshojo appears to have been pruned flush with the branch collar at the apex… and in at least one other spot. It’s best to leave at least 1” or more stub left above any collar, or one trunk diameter, whichever is more, when cutting back. The stub will die back slowly giving the branch collar time to compartmentalize and seal off the area before infection can set in.
Fungus enters the wound and travels down the trunk through the trunk’s transport system.
Image 5 of the arakawa shows a poor torn cut that got infected. Witness the black area traveling down the trunk. Sometimes the infection goes just so far and stops. Otherwise it can spread like in the Deshojo.
For this tree one might prune the top off in between the internodes below the infection as this is a long straight less interesting stretch that wouldn’t be in the final design anyways. Hopefully this will wall off the fungus
Be sure to clean all tools and spray with alcohol. Make the cut, then spray with alcohol. Let dry, then apply an antifungal cut paste or cut putty.
btw: please enter your approximate location and USDA cold hardiness zone. This do this double tap your icon atop the page, then account details. Scroll down and enter these data. These data will appear on your icon and allow respondents to give you the best location based advice in future BN postings
Best
DSD sends
The Deshojo appears to have been pruned flush with the branch collar at the apex… and in at least one other spot. It’s best to leave at least 1” or more stub left above any collar, or one trunk diameter, whichever is more, when cutting back. The stub will die back slowly giving the branch collar time to compartmentalize and seal off the area before infection can set in.
Fungus enters the wound and travels down the trunk through the trunk’s transport system.
Image 5 of the arakawa shows a poor torn cut that got infected. Witness the black area traveling down the trunk. Sometimes the infection goes just so far and stops. Otherwise it can spread like in the Deshojo.
For this tree one might prune the top off in between the internodes below the infection as this is a long straight less interesting stretch that wouldn’t be in the final design anyways. Hopefully this will wall off the fungus
Be sure to clean all tools and spray with alcohol. Make the cut, then spray with alcohol. Let dry, then apply an antifungal cut paste or cut putty.
btw: please enter your approximate location and USDA cold hardiness zone. This do this double tap your icon atop the page, then account details. Scroll down and enter these data. These data will appear on your icon and allow respondents to give you the best location based advice in future BN postings
Best
DSD sends
Betula1
Sapling
Looks a lot like Verticillium - a fungal disease. My Deshojo died from it 
See here more information https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/verticillium-wilt
Im sure some of the resident Acer experts here can give more advice on successful treatment.
See here more information https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/verticillium-wilt
Im sure some of the resident Acer experts here can give more advice on successful treatment.
