Unhealthy Maple Tree

Anne,

I have a Red Maple that is not doing as well as my others. It gets the same water and sunlight. However, the leaves are a bit smaller. I have noticed tiny, black spots on the bark of the tree. Any thoughts?
Ron

Anne's Response:

Ron,

There are often differences in the size of leaves on two different red maple trees. If plants are the same named cultivar they will be quite similar but for seedling grown trees you can expect variability in size and color of leaves and ultimate height of the plant. There are a number of canker diseases that will form spots or lesions on the trunk and twigs of red maples. Some of them will cause the plant to produce smaller leaves. If the spots are on limbs and twigs but not the main trunk of the tree the limbs can be pruned to remove the infected area. The usual remedy for canker lesions on the trunk of the tree is to remove the tree to keep the infection from spreading to your other trees. My advice is to find a certified arborist to diagnose the problem and recommend a treatment procedure.