What happened to my Japanese Maple?

Question

I have a japanese maple that has been growing for about 3 yrs now and doing fine, however this year it looked dead but now it has leaves growing from the bottom the top is bare. What caused this and should I prune off the top in the Fall?

Answer 1

Give it a year on the pruning just in case........they are very sensitive at times........is he in good soil......does he get watered.....how much light...........You know kind of like a kid...I have one..........in a j*p bowl 4' in diameter....My son has one that is 30 years old and almost 10' in diameter....he doesn't do any thing to his except watch it grow.....in other words it's in good soil with drainage and average amount of  sun.........mine I have to be careful for because of the bowl. Good luck

Answer 2

I agree with Mr. Mole

Answer 3

Lack of sufficient moisture is the cause of most mishaps with Japanese Maples.

Answer 4

Truman nuked it.

Answer 5

If a Japanese Maple get too little water the leaves will dry up and fall off.  The tree will usually recover.  If they get too much water the leaves will dry up and will not fall off.  Then the tree is a goner and will not recover.  If your getting some growth then the tree will probably recover, baring more of what caused it.  I would give it a year to recover then see where the dead limbs are and then prune.

I just lost a 15 year old J Maple to too much water (very wet spring.)

Answer 6

This sounds like a serious lack of water. Japanese maple needs to be out of the sun, and growing in moist but well drained ground, and also out of the wind. I suggest you cut off the dead wood and hope that the new shoots continue to grow., But it wont have the typical  shape of a tree any more.