Japanese Maple Disease

Question

I have a Japanese Maple tree that is about 8 years old. It has developed a disease that makes the leaves curl up and turn a bright yellow. I read about diseases Japanese Maples may develop. From what I could find out, the only way to stop the leaves from dying was to cut the branches. It seems if I continue to do this, the tree will lose its shape and may even be cut to the ground. I would appreciate any help you could give me on stopping the disease.

Answer 1

There are many diseases and pests that could affect the tree in this way. To try to avoid having to over prune, I would treat the tree weekly for a month with neem oil. It will address many of the common causes of this kind of damage (pests, fungus or mites) and I would also make sure the tree is getting enough water with good drainage.