What to do with this (infected?) Japanese maple?

[Teacup bonsai]

Im fairly sure this is fungal or bacterial infection, as it is next to the only cut from this year.

Moved from New England to South Carolina this year and I bet the tree is not handling the temps well and that stress may have predisposed it.

As I check the tree regularly it must have come on quick. No discoloration whatsoever this summer/fall. I have adjusted watering accordingly for the season, so I don't think it is an issue with roots or the trunk below. Right now it's localized to the small dots/discoloration pictured, but Im not sure how long that will last.

Questions to those more experienced with killing/saving maples than I:

Is it possible for the tree to survive given what you see? If so, do I leave as is and try to control with fungicide/bacterial spray alone, or do I chop now below the infection with sterile tools and hope it bounces back in spring?

Or do I say farewell to the tree altogether as there is no hope?

Thanks all!

 

[caffeinated]

I'm not seeing what you're seeing. It looks normal to me. Is it the little black dots above the wound? If you're concerned you could do a spray with lime sulfur or copper or other fungicide, then maybe treat with a systemic as spring rolls around.

 

[InstilledChaos]

I agree. I’m not sure what the black dots are, but whatever it is, the tree looks otherwise healthy, with no signs of any systemic issue apparent in the pictures.

 

[ajm55555]

Nothing wrong there.

 

[bwaynef]

Welcome to SC. What part?

I don't like the black dots. I prefer to deal as gently as I'm able to (effectively) with pests/disease. Without having the cause of those black dots identified explicitly (https://www.clemson.edu/public/regulatory/plant-problem/), I'd probably start with something like regular (dilute, 2-3:1) peroxide applications and monitor for improvement/change. Peroxide is bactericidal as well as fungicidal so you cover a couple bases there. I'd also highly recommend lime sulfur dormant spraying all your maples (and likely all your deciduous).

That said, I'm not terribly worried by the black dots. If it changes/worsens, there's always conventional fungicides if you feel like they're warranted.

 

[Teacup bonsai]

Welcome to SC. What part?

I don't like the black dots. I prefer to deal as gently as I'm able to (effectively) with pests/disease. Without having the cause of those black dots identified explicitly (https://www.clemson.edu/public/regulatory/plant-problem/), I'd probably start with something like regular (dilute, 2-3:1) peroxide applications and monitor for improvement/change. Peroxide is bactericidal as well as fungicidal so you cover a couple bases there. I'd also highly recommend lime sulfur dormant spraying all your maples (and likely all your deciduous).

That said, I'm not terribly worried by the black dots. If it changes/worsens, there's always conventional fungicides if you feel like they're warranted.

Charleston/ James Island

Thanks all for taking a look!