FAQ-Maple Not Leafing Out

Maple Not Leafing Out

Question:
We have a red-leaved Maple and it budded out well this spring. However, after the last cold-snap, the upper branches failed to leaf out. Is it at all likely that the bare branches will come back next year? Minnesota Master Gardeners say:
It's not clear what is meant by a red-leaved maple. I am assuming that you are referring to Acer palmatum or A. palmatum var. atropurpureum, commonly known as the Japanese maple. If so, these trees are borderline hardy (if at all) in our area and require extreme measures to protect them over winter. The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum has their specimens planted in large containers and overwinter them in a root house or similar environment.

You can check the bare branches to see if there is any living tissue. Take a small, sharp pocket knife and gently scrape away a very thin layer of the bark. If you see green tissue under the bark, the branch still has some life in it. It may or may not be capable of producing a second set of leaves yet this season. Only time will tell. If it is in fact a Japanese maple, the outlook for the future is not very promising.

For more information on the Japanese maple selections, refer to "Growing Shrubs and Small Trees in Cold Climates" by Nancy Rose, Don Selinger and John Whitman, published in 2001 by Contemporary Books.

The book is available at the Linden Tree Gift Shop at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen MN. Telephone 952-443-1439. Local libraries may also have a copy.