The maple leaf is one of the most famous leaves in the world. The leaves on these beauties glisten green in the springtime. In the autumn, the foliage displays vibrant colors orange, yellow, and red. However, what should you do if you see black spots on maple tree leaves? Is it buh-bye for your cherished tree?
Pump the brakes. While the marks look fretful, it’s just tar spots. Please keep reading to find out about black spots and how to treat them.
Black Spots on Maple Tree Leaves: Fungus You Can Control
There are a few fungi types that produce those vast black or brown spots on maple trees. They’re tar spots, and they frequently impact:
- Oregon maple
- Norway maple
- Box elder
- Red maple
- Sycamore
- Sugar maple
- Silver maple
As with several tree fungi, maple tar is more likely to occur if your region gets a fair amount of rain.
Seeing Maple Tar Spots
The spots usually begin emerging in early-to-mid-June. Then, the specks are light green and small. You possibly won’t see them. Around the beginning of fall, those little spots get considerably fuller and broader.
It will look like masses of tar fused to the leaves. You might even see marks on the maple seeds unless you’re keen enough to have a seedless maple tree minus the helicopter seeds.
Can Black Spots Hurt the Tree?
Maple tar spot is a cosmetic problem. The spots bring down the appearance of your tree, even affecting leaf drop. But that’s about the scope of the problem. Maple tar spot seldom does any harm to the tree’s health.
Treatment for Black Spots
If you’re at wit’s end with the maple tar spot, you could have a tree care professional apply a fungicide in the upcoming springtime. This solution works if your tree frequently gets maple tar, or it’s a widespread problem in your location. Most tar spot is aesthetic, and this procedure typically isn’t needed.
Moreover, the fungicide has to get to each leaf, which could be quite the task on older maple trees. That’s why it’s usually best to treat and use a maple tar fungicide on tinier trees.
Preventing Tar Spots from Recurring
The best way to stop and treat maple tar entails some elbow grease. As the leaves fall, rake and burn them. Do your best to get all the leaves out of the region, eliminating most of the black fungal spots.
Trees that have issues with tar spots every year might also be fighting with extreme moisture. You’ll do them a vast favor if you boost the grade around them to get rid of stagnant water and stop moisture accumulation.
Young trees might necessitate treatment, particularly if other trees have had plenty of their leaf surfaces concealed by tar spots recently. Once your tree is too high to spray easily and mature, it can take care of itself.
If you see black spots on maple leaves, give us a call at Lenoir Tree Service to discuss your options.
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