Common Potted Acer Tree Problems & How to Prevent Them

Acer or Maple trees come in many cultivars with dramatic foliage in various shades and colours. Some grow very tall, whereas other species are suitable for container gardening, due to their manageable small size. One thing’s for sure, whether it’s a native Field maple tree (Acer campestre), Norway maple (Acer platanoides), Sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) or gorgeous Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), which can easily thrive in a pot, an acer tree can be always a beautiful focal point in your garden if you show it some TLC.

Acer species are relatively easy to grow, once established, but they do suffer from some problems, due to disease, environmental factors and in that sense, due to one’s lack of knowledge on the specific growing conditions a particular type prefers. On that note, our post will focus on the common problems you may encounter when growing an acer tree in a container, as well as on some general issues that could pose a challenge to your woody plant.

So, if you are:

• An owner of a potted acer tree;
• Trying to find out what is wrong with your tree;
• Looking for ways to prevent pests and diseases,

Then read on! This article is for you.

Potted acer tree problems

In Britain, one of the popular acer tree variety that can be grown in a pot is Japanese maple. It comes in many subspecies, which boast distinct-shaped leaves in various hues. Its delicate foliage commonly tends to suffer from weather-related problems or wrong growing conditions.

So, if you notice one day that the leaves have suddenly started to brown, curl up or shrivel and the lower branches look as if dying, your potted acer tree has a problem, especially if the variety has overly dissected leaves. Experts refer to the condition as leaf scorch. The cause is most likely excessive exposure to dry winds, direct sunlight in hot summer or frost in the winter.

Also, excessive watering doesn’t do any favours to your potted Japanese maple tree, either, as this type of acer plant doesn’t thrive in waterlogged soils. To be fair, it neither flourishes in heavy shade.

Additional acer tree problems, diseases and pests

Now, let’s look at some other issues that may affect your acer tree, be it a potted Japanese maple or another variety that you’ve planted in the ground.

• Honey Fungus

Honey fungus (Armillaria) affects woody and perennial plants, including acer trees. Species, which are specially grown as hedges, like Boxelder maple (Acer negundo) or Field maple, are usually affected. The main symptoms are decaying roots, fungal growth between the bark and the wood, small and pale leaves, dying branches, clumps of toadstools on the stumps, etc. The infection spreads underground and is not easy to detect, as the signs resemble those of other types of diseases. We wrote a blog post about the honey fungus symptoms and treatment options in more detail, which you can check here.

• Abiotic and biotic leaf scorch

The evidence of the (acer) leaf scorch presents itself as drying leaves. In mild cases, you may notice the edges and veins of the leave going brown. The most common reasons for leaf scorch are unfavourable weather conditions, such as drought, high temperatures, hot dry winds and excessive sun exposure. However, frost and waterlogged soil may also cause the condition, also referred to as abiotic leaf scorch. Japanese maple, Sugar maple and Norway maple are the acer trees that are the most prone to get affected. Here, we should note that the condition is not always “provoked” by environmental factors. There is also bacterial leaf scorch (BLS ), referred to as biotic type of scorch, which affects shade tree species, such as Red maple and Boxelder maple. The culprit is Xylella fastidiosa – pathogenic bacteria that can infect the plant. Scorching is of an irregular shape and not very well defined, with red or yellow bands between green and brown patches on the leaf.

• Powdery mildew

Japanese maple and Norway maple are rather susceptible to this fungal disease, which thrives in humid moderate climates. The surface of the leaves is affected, usually, without any lasting damage. You can try and brush off the whitish powder from the plant, as well as resort to natural or chemical fungicides to resolve the problem. We have posted a neem oil spray recipe recently. You can use it against common plant pests and fungi infestations like mildew.

• Verticillium wilt

Caused by soil-bound fungi, which may stay dormant underground until triggered, the disease is especially common to acer plants. The symptoms are often localised to one side or a specific part of the maple tree and include the loss of leaves, stunted growth, yellow and wilting leaves. The disease usually presents itself in late summer after a particularly hot and dry period. If the problem is not addressed in time, the tree may eventually die.

• Root rot

This is a lethal fungal condition that can infect any woody plant that grows in a wet climate. There are different forms of root rot, such as ganoderma, laetiporus and phytophthora, with the latter being the most common type in the UK. The signs of the disease include cankers or mushroom-looking growth, protruding out of the stump, as well as branch dieback and wilting sparse foliage. The widespread recommendation is to destroy an infected tree, as there aren’t really any control or remedial methods, available for counteracting the problem.

• Insect parasites

There are various types of insects that can invade your acer tree, including aphids, mites (maple bladder, velvet and spindle galls or red spider mites), scale insect or pear thrips. Aphids and scale insects both secrete a sticky substance, which can cause a sooty mould infection of the leaves.

Galls (mites) can affect various acer plants, including Sugar maple, Red maple, Boxelder maple and Norway maple. Depending on the type of galls, the leaves of the plant can be covered in velvet patches, pimples or worm-like protrusions.

Pear thrips are winged insects, which lay their eggs on the plant. In spring, the larvae will feed on the leaves, causing their discolouration. Sugar maple is prone to a pear thrips infestation.

If the infestation is in an early stage, you can successfully treat it with a homemade natural pesticide. We have collected our favourite recipes in this post. Feel free to test them out.

• Rabbits and squirrels

Young potted acer trees are best protected against rabbits with a wire netting around the container. The keen rodent will happily nibble on the bark especially in the winter time. Squirrels also cause problems to more mature acer plants, again in an effort to get to their dose of nutrients. The tree may be able to recover over time if the damage on branches and the outer bark is not severe.

How to prevent the most common potted acer tree problems

Takeaways

Potted maple tree problems are often preventable by applying vigilance and the right care:

• Make sure your acer plant is potted in a container that is double the roots’ size to provide them with sufficient space to develop and this way, avoid stunted growth.
• Infectious diseases and pest infestations are usually manageable when treated at the first signs of the problem.
• If you’re unsure about how to plant your maple tree and what conditions it will best grow in, you can always seek the professional planting expertise of the Fantastic pros and stay on the safe side.
• Prevention is always the best course of action, especially when it comes to dealing with acer leaf scorch and other environmental factors that can affect the well-being of your potted maple tree.

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Have you had any experience with growing potted acer trees? Let us know in the comments below!

Image source: Shutterstock: By Vahan Abrahamyan 

• Last update: July 1, 2020

Posted in Garden Advice, Plants in the UK