What's happened to my Acer!?

Hamish_123

Morning all,

Is anyone able to advise what may have happened to my Acer?

Beautiful full bloom last year, lovely pink/red leaves all over, all seemed to be going well with growth through spring but then it seemed that only half the buds on the tree opened. Small buds can be seen on the one side but it's as if the growth has been halted. I snapped a branch to show the condition of the inside. 

Is that half of the tree dead?

What is the best way to tackle this?

All advice appreciated - thanks! 

twopenny

Have you had the very dry weather this summer where you are?
Any high winds?

The tree is competing for root space with the hedge. Could be the hedge has put out new roots searching for water and deprived that side of the tree.

To tell the condition on the leafless side take a knife and gently scrape a small section the bark up and see if it's green or soft yellow under.
Then gently rub the bark back down with your thumb.
If it appears brown and dry see how flexible a small twig or two are.
If flexible it's alive and will recover. If snaps off brown inside you need to carefully go back to the next bit down the twig and do the same.

Hamish_123

Thanks @twopenny, i'll try that and get back to you.

Yes, we've had very dry weather these last few weeks. Although the tree has been like this since approx April.

Would cutting the hedge back help?

Emmia

Have you been watering the Acer? I think with the competition from the hedge and the dry weather I'd be watering it. 

I have one in a pot, and that's been getting plenty of water in this warm weather.

Hamish_123

Hi @Emmia - No, I haven't watered it. Have only been in the house 2 years and it was fine last year without watering. Will definitely be watering from now on though, I hadn't considered the competition with the hedge for root space. I have 4 acers in my back garden that are all thriving so never really considered it! 

BlondeHeadOn

We have a very similar looking Acer in a large pot, and we thought it had died last year.  Half of the tree was completely dead, and the other half very sickly with hardly any leaves and shrivelled growth.  

We both thought that was a goner, but cut off the dead branches and gave it some feed and watered it regularly, and left it in the same position,  

And one year later  it is now back to healthy and bushy, and a beautiful Acer tree again.  So don't give up on it just yet!

twopenny

No, cutting the hedge only cuts off leaves and if you did sever the roots it would only grow again.
As it must have been there a long time they must have sorted themselves out by now.

I think Blondhead has had the same issue so that's advice to follow.
You can test what's living or dead as I described and trim accordingly. It will just be an asymmetrical shape which is interesting.

But there's already signs of it throwing out new shoots on that side which may pop out further up too. It's a wait and see scenario.

And lucky you to have so many and thriving 🙂

wort

I would say it looks like it’s had the problem before , as you can see where branches have been cut off and new growth is coming from the stump area.

twopenny

Good spot Wort

Hamish_123

Thanks for all your help guys. 

I’ve just had a look at the condition of the branches as recommended by @twopenny

The twigs on the very end of the branches are very flexible and can be bent back on themselves without snapping and spring back in to position. I checked the condition of the bark on a thick branch and it seems really quite dry underneath. The smaller branches coming off have a yellowey/green tinge to them. 

What would your advice be? Trim it back now or wait until autumn and give the whole thing a hard prune? 

twopenny

Springy end branches is good. They're fine. Leave them for now.
The big branches being old that's probably normal.
Some newcomers going yellowish is annoying but probably being sacrificed by the tree because of lack of rain.

I'll make an educated guess and say it's dropped it's leaves because of drought and is making some sacrifices to keep the whole.
Trees do this.

It will probably come good with some decent rain. I wouldn't leap in and cut it now. See if it's fine next spring and decide then.
Meantime wind some fairy lights round the empty space 😉