My Japanese 6 year old maple has been struggling the past few years, but I've been able to keep it looking relatively healthy. This year, I seem to be loosing the battle. The leaves appear burned on the edges and are shriveling up and dying branch by branch. I am doing my best to keep it watered. I don't think I'm over watering. What can I do to save the tree? Should I cut off the branches with the dead leaves?

Coincidentally, there is a 15 year old maple tree about 10 feet away from my japanese maple. It has been healthy until this year. Now, its leaves are drying up and falling off, bit by bit. What can I do to save that tree, too?

Hi Karin

Unfortunately Japanese maples do not always do well in the Chicago area. They are very prone to leaf scorch, which may be what is wrong with your tree. Sometimes even when water is plentiful, the leaves may scorch in very hot weather. Continue to water your tree regularly. It may never get any better, but good care could keep it from declining. I would not cut off any branches unless you can see that they are dead. If the branches are really dead (wood is dry and snaps easily), the problem may be more than scorch. As for the other maple, from your description, I can't tell what may be going on. Can you give me more detail about the appearance of the leaves as well as the pattern of damage on the tree (are all the leves coming off one side of the tree, etc.)?