Trident - Is this fungus?

Africanherbman

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I found maybe a handful of leaves with these bumps on them, pictured below is one of these leaves, front and back. I only see this on a handful of the leaves,however, all of the leaves have brown tips. I see the tips on new growth browning as well, although it seems to be less severe than the older growth. Time will tell.

A little about the tree. It may have been repot twice this year. When I got it around March, it was already in a bonsai pot, but I didn't like the pot, so I transferred it to another. I did not cut any root off, but I believe it may have been repot this year before I acquired it already because it was pretty roomy in its original pot. The roots seemed healthy though. I understand I shouldn't have done this now but it was done. It's potted in a akadama/pumice/lava mix. I try to water when the top quarter of soil is dry. I determine this visually by the color of the akadama in the mix. I used to water the foliage as well, but have stopped this for a month or so because I read it can lead to fungus problems.

Please let me know what this might be and how I should go about getting it back to health.

Thanks
 

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penumbra

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I know this is not much help, but it looks like some sort of environmental damage to me and not a fungus. New growth looks great.
 

Africanherbman

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I know this is not much help, but it looks like some sort of environmental damage to me and not a fungus. New growth looks great.
Sun is pretty mild here, but we do get pretty heavy winds and I had thought it might have been wind damage. But the thing is I have a Japanese maple that's exposed to the same environment and treated and watered the same way that do not have any dry or browning tips. I was under the impression that JM's are more delicate than Tridents, so I don't know. Unless you mean something else by environmental damage.

The new growth looks pretty good right now, but when I lift them up, some of the are developing the brown tips, just very minor, but it's there. I've been watching it and it seems the new growth will look good as they come out, but eventually will get the brown tips. This most recent flush does seem a little better though so far, but even still, I see a couple that already have it.
 

Africanherbman

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Here's a picture of the leaf with what I mean by bumps circled. They are actually raised and can be felt, although very slightly, and not just discoloration. Again, I only see this on a handful of the leaves, but pretty much all the matured foliage have the dry brown tips.
 

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clem

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Hi from France ^^
Dunno what are the little spots/deformations on your last pic, but the brown tips can be the result of a lack of water and/or too much wind. (dehydration).
I advise you to water as soon as the surface akadama particles start to dry out. When you see a few akadama particles on the surface that start to dry out, you can water. Anyway, if have a doubt, you can water 2 or 3 or 4 times a day as long as your tree lives in akadama or any draining particles. Trident maple like water so it is not a problem to water twice a day or more, as long as the soil is made of akadama or pumice particles.

Concerning the little deformations on the leaves, in case it is fungus attack, you can spray "bordeaux mixture" or any copper mixture on the leaves of your tree : it will not damage your tree and if it is really fungus, it will protect the new leaves. Protect the soil before you spray ^^
 
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