Maple decline

Article summary

Maple decline is a term describing loss of vigor and dieback in forests or urban plantings of maple trees. It is not a disease or a syndrome, nor is it contagious or endemic. Instead, it is a generalized set of symptoms that may be applied to any species of tree suffering a wide range of different stressors. Norway maple, red maple and sugar maple are the species most commonly affected. The trouble often starts after insect-induced defoliation, which weakens the trees and makes them more susceptible to secondary pathogens. Early signs of decline include small or scorched foliage, and premature fall colors on some of a tree's branches. Later, dead twigs may become visible as signs of distress become evident throughout the crown. As the tree's condition deteriorates, whole branches die. The tree may attempt to compensate for its diminishing crown by producing leafy shoots on its trunk. The defoliation may occur early enough that the tree may produce new leaves in summer that do not harden off before the first frost. Fruiting bodies of bracket fungi may appear on the trunk or in the crown. Eventually, the whole tree dies. The process from first signs of trouble to total death may span anywhere from a few years to several decades.…

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