Japanese Maple

Question: Hi,
For a number years now my 30 year old japanese maple leafs start to curl up mid summer. I've tried to provide additional water but that hasn't seemed to help revive dried leaves but now it seems that new growth has started....It gets most of the AM sun....it is otherwise pretty health with great spring leafing...is it just not enough water in the early summer?.
any advise?

responder: The Question Asker Replied August 27, 2024, 9:45 PM EDT
response: Healthy, advice  On Tue, Aug 27, 2024, 2:15 PM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:  Dear Jan, Thank you for using Ask Extension. A request for support has been created and a representative will follow-up with you as soon as possible. Questions are usually answered within two business days. You can view this question's progress online. YOUR QUESTION #0153122: Japanese Maple Hi, For a number years now my 30 year old japanese maple leafs start to curl up mid summer. I've tried to provide additional water but that hasn't seemed to help revive dried leaves but now it seems that new growth has started....It gets most of the AM sun....it is otherwise pretty health with great spring leafing...is it just not enough water in the early summer?. any advise? Ask Extension offers one-to-one expert answers from Cooperative Extension/University staff and volunteers within participating Land-Grant institutions across the United States. If you wish to provide additional comments or information regarding the issue, please login to your account for a complete archive of your prior questions and answers.  This message for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for personalized professional advice. For specific local information, contact your local county Cooperative Extension office or other qualified professionals. eXtension Foundation does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, professional services, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned. Reliance on any information provided by eXtension Foundation, employees, suppliers, member universities, or other third parties through eXtension is solely at the user's own risk. All eXtension content and communication is subject to the Terms of Use which may be revised at any time.

responder: Lindsey K. Kerr, MS, MHP (she, her, hers)  Replied August 28, 2024, 11:44 AM EDT
response: I think your tree is a 'Crimson Queen' Japanese maple. Leaf curling and scorching is common on Japanese maples with finely textured leaves and can be caused by a few different things. First, once leaves have started to dry or die, you cannot revive them. Once the tree has stopped sending nutrients and water to those leaves, there is no going back.  Possibilities for why your tree lost its leaves:  It did not receive enough water and it shed its leaves to conserve resources and energy. It could be getting too much intense sun and the leaves are burning. Did a tree come down or something change so it is not getting as much shade as years past?The site might be too windy and the leaves are drying out.  It has a bacterial infection (possibly Pseudomonas syringae). This is what I suspect is going on. It makes leaves curl and dry up as the summer progresses. We don't have a control method that is 100% effective. Start by picking up all of the leaves that fall off the tree and put them in a sealed back in the trash. The bacteria is harbored in leaves, so you want to clean up as best as possible throughout the year.  In all of these cases, your best bet is to keep the tree healthy, so that means watering it weekly in the summer. You should also pull the mulch away from the trunk. It looks like the tree is planted too deeply and it might be rotting around the trunk at soil level. If you pull back the mulch to expose the root flare, the tree will be better off.  Here is a link to an article from Maryland about Japanese maples that might be helpful.