Japanese Maple

[Viana]

I have a Japanese maple tree in my yard that seems to have more and more dead branches every year. Any idea what could be causing this? And what can I do about it?

[D. Staples]

Japanese Maple require a regular watering, perhaps just a watering routine will help. ON the other side, would it be a safe bet to say that the branches die on the underside of the canopy?

[David E. Ross]

Where are you located? What is your climate?

I'm a docent at a public garden that has four different Japanese maples: Bloodgood, coral bark, green laceleaf, and red laceleaf. Because of a lack of humidity in the summer (generally below 50% in July and August, often below 35%, occasionally below 15%), they are severely stressed. They do get sufficient soil moisture, but the leaves still show significant burning on the tips by August. Some show tip burn already this year, in April.

Perhaps your climate is not suitable for Japanese maples.

[D. Staples]

Here in Texas they need a nurse tree to keep some of the summer sun off during the hottest days. Even then without significant watering we see leaf curl and limb death in the worse of years.