Possible Maple disease

[kmdesigns]

I haven't posted to this forum in quite some time, but I have a problem that has me stumped. I have a couple of maple clumps planted through plexi glass. The one in the photo is about 3 years old, but this year one of the trees is not looking so great. The one next to it is in the same planting and looks very green and healthy. Its bark has turned kind of a sickly grey/brown color and it looks as though the leaves have fallen off. Does anyone know if it is some type of fungus and is it salvageable or do I need to get it out of my yard asap.

Thanks in advance

 

[Smoke]

Probably verticillium wilt. Very toxic and if it is root connected thru the plexi it will infect the others. Cut it off below the green with disenfected cutters. Try to make the cut once and then do not use them again till disinfected again. Burn the top cuttoff portion. Even laying around it can infect other maples. This is the cancer of plants.

If this plant was sitting on the dirt, thr recent rains we have had combined with dry dirt being splashed on the plant is the common cause of this sinfection.

 

[kmdesigns]

Thanks for the quick reply Al. I lost a very large maple to that last summer. Do you suggest I get rid of this guys from that clump altogether? I don't believe the roots have begun to fuse yet.

 

[Smoke]

Thats the 28,000.00 question. That will be a decision you have to make.