Is there hope for my red sunset maple tree?

Question

I planted a beautiful, tall red sunset maple in my back yard about three months ago. I live in the southwest where it is hot, windy, and dry, most of the time. From the time I brought it home, up to about a month ago, it was very windy and the winds hardly ever died down, except for at night. I did water it per the instructions. But the wind seemed to have knocked the life out of the tree; the leaves were wilting and browning towards the edges.

Now we've gotten some rain, and I have also pruned back some of the branches where there seemed to be no new growth. The leaves have actually "perked up", and I am seeing a bit of growth now, but nothing major. Does this mean there still is hope for this tree? I hope so as the leaves will turn a beautiful red in the fall!

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Trees, ALL trees, will go through transplant shock. Do not fertilize the tree, and do not prune it any more this year. Keep it well watered for the first 2-3 years, until it becomes established. The leaves will turn brown on the edges from the wind, because wind makes the leaves lose moisture at a much greater rate. Just keep watering it like you have been, and it should come around.  

Answer 2

Yes. But it will need MORE water than the instructions suggest.  And maybe some shade if you can do that.  

Be sure to MULCH it well out past the drip line with about 2 or 3 inches thinck of good compost or bark chips.  It makes a big difference.  Keeps the soil moist and cool making the tree much happier.  

Answer 3

Yes. If you are getting growth and the tree is not drying up - you're fine. OFten times when you just plant a tree, foliage won't be as full until it gets established.

Answer 4

I grow maples in a hot dry climate, with an alkaline soil.  They don't worry too much about soil type and are easy to grow.  

Your biggest problem is water.  If it is very hot and windy where you live most years, move your plant to a sheltered area with morning sun or 1/2 day only sun out of the wind or you will always get leaf burn.

Wind can take a lot of moisture from a tree through it's leaves, so make sure it has deep watering, and the soil is not allowed to dry out for at least 2 years (don't overwater, just make sure it doesn't go dry).

As it is only a new tree don't prune the branches off because they have no leaves.   It has dropped the leaves because of the leaf damage or the moisture loss, you are just pruning off good branches that will reshoot.

Keep the water up and expect all the leaves to drop off early this year.  Don't worry you can't really expect much growth the first year till it is established.  Don't fertilize it will burn the tree, just give a seaweed extract (from garden centres), this promotes roots and prevents transplant shock.

You will only get red autumn leaves if it is cold enough in your area for that variety to produce them, otherwise they will be yellow or orange.

Just be patient, lots of water will solve most of your problems.

Answer 5

Yes there is plenty of hope for it but you will need to move it to a more sheltered spot, if possible.

Answer 6

You realize maples and southwest don't blend at all well.  While Red Sunset is listed as accepting our brutal southwest climes, don't count on it.  Our soils stink, at least in maple preferences.  They have thinner leaves which do not like our dry, wind and bright sunlight.  Then we run into mineral problems for the plants thanks to the alkaline soils.

So, for your tree, it has Location as a prime problem.  Hopefully the tree received excellent planting, a super wide hole and if any caliche was in the bottom, at least an attempt to remove some.  The back fill was at least fluffed so enough air got into the soil.  Winds just suck those thin leaves dry.  Water well and deep (I pray you have drainage under the tree) and make sure you have at least 4 inches of a good mulch over the planting area to keep the moisture in the soil.  

I hesitate to suggest continuing cutting back the tree.  Each time a tree is forces to initiate new growth, it zaps reserve food energy which the plant needs to build that new root system.  (we hope the roots weren't severely damaged in the transplant)  I'd just leave the dead wood until winter when I'd trim it off out of asethetics.  

When you irrigate, make certain the whole root zone gets wet as well as the area outside the roots.  Plants don't send new roots into dry soil.  Don't over water though, roots need oxygen, they can't hold their breath under water.