I don't know the answer, but I suspect that is the case. Over the last 4-5 years rainfall has been in short supply round here, my guess is that a lack of water over several years has stressed the tree and allowed the virus to take hold.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
oops - I got carried away on the veg patch. Took these just now -
It's not unattractive - just not very tree-like
If you zoom in on this one you can just about see where the branch tips have died back (it looks a bit like frost damage). The leaves on these branches won't appear for a while and when they do they'll be much smaller than they should be and later in the season some leaves on these branches appear to be frazzled and die, but don't drop - so that's when I give it a trim usually
Have to say it's looking better this spring than it has for a couple of years, so I'm happy to keep it as long as it looks ok
Ps From what I've read I think the virus can persist in the soil for up to about 15 years without a host. So the only way to get rid of it is to have plants that do not act as VW hosts in that area for 15 years (the RHS suggest grassing the area for 15 years - so grass is ok), then you may be ok to replant with acers etc. (and at my age there's not much point!) Of course, I may have misunderstood...
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Hi John, your VW affected acer tree is actually looking pretty good. I can't actually see any black stems in the picture. Did you say you cut out the affected branch a couple of years ago? Maybe I shoudn't have cut out the branches of my Acer and should have waited.. Hopefully there'll be new growth where cut the branches.
And yes I did read the RHS article about VW and read the line about it taking up to 15 years for the fungi in the soil to die. That's too long to wait! I'll either keep this Acer or if it dies, will plant something else there.
It was about 3-4 years ago VW was diagnosed, since when I've taken extra care to keep it watered and given it just a very light dressing of bonemeal in spring. There were black bruises on several proper branches that I removed 3-4 years ago. I think the reason there are no marks now is because all the branches are young. The tips die back, so they send out more side shoots, the tips of them die back, so they send out shoots - hence the overall appearance. Don't rush to try and sort it out, if there are branches that need removing, do it in the dead of winter - you don't want to stress your tree any further and keep it watered. good luck
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I thought the tips of japanese maple branches dying back due to frost/wind damage. I normally just break them off and the tree recovets fine. Is it always a sign of VW?
No - the acid test is to cut a branch and check if there's a tell-tale blackening of the tissue within. See here There will also be black 'bruises' on some older branches
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I think keeping them watered in prolonged dry weather is important esp. for young trees. We've had a few years now without much rainfall (around these parts anyway) which I think weakened my tree giving VW the chance to get a hold, which sadly, it did.
There's an old thread here with photos (see 3rd pic) of the black bruising on branches
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Oh dear - there's nothing you can do about it other than accept it's there and plant accordingly. I think if it were me and the tree had only just been planted, I'd whip it out and get rid of as much surrounding soil as possible/feasible and dispose of the tree and soil - Ive no idea where.. If it's very recently planted, it would probably have had the virus when you bought it I'd think
I have 3 acers in other parts of the garden and they're all ok - one is only about 12ft away from the infected one, but it seems to be ok. I have plenty of other plants and shrubs around the infected acer - a huge rhododendron, 2 hydrangeas, thalictrum, astilbes, roses, salvias and several other plants all within a few feet and they all seem ok.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Posts
Over the last 4-5 years rainfall has been in short supply round here, my guess is that a lack of water over several years has stressed the tree and allowed the virus to take hold.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Took these just now -
It's not unattractive - just not very tree-like
If you zoom in on this one you can just about see where the branch tips have died back (it looks a bit like frost damage).
The leaves on these branches won't appear for a while and when they do they'll be much smaller than they should be and later in the season some leaves on these branches appear to be frazzled and die, but don't drop - so that's when I give it a trim usually
Have to say it's looking better this spring than it has for a couple of years, so I'm happy to keep it as long as it looks ok
Ps From what I've read I think the virus can persist in the soil for up to about 15 years without a host. So the only way to get rid of it is to have plants that do not act as VW hosts in that area for 15 years (the RHS suggest grassing the area for 15 years - so grass is ok), then you may be ok to replant with acers etc. (and at my age there's not much point!)
Of course, I may have misunderstood...
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Maybe I shoudn't have cut out the branches of my Acer and should have waited..
Hopefully there'll be new growth where cut the branches.
And yes I did read the RHS article about VW and read the line about it taking up to 15 years for the fungi in the soil to die. That's too long to wait! I'll either keep this Acer or if it dies, will plant something else there.
thanks.
There were black bruises on several proper branches that I removed 3-4 years ago.
I think the reason there are no marks now is because all the branches are young.
The tips die back, so they send out more side shoots, the tips of them die back, so they send out shoots - hence the overall appearance.
Don't rush to try and sort it out, if there are branches that need removing, do it in the dead of winter - you don't want to stress your tree any further and keep it watered.
good luck
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
There will also be black 'bruises' on some older branches
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
We've had a few years now without much rainfall (around these parts anyway) which I think weakened my tree giving VW the chance to get a hold, which sadly, it did.
There's an old thread here with photos (see 3rd pic) of the black bruising on branches
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I think if it were me and the tree had only just been planted, I'd whip it out and get rid of as much surrounding soil as possible/feasible and dispose of the tree and soil - Ive no idea where..
If it's very recently planted, it would probably have had the virus when you bought it I'd think
I have 3 acers in other parts of the garden and they're all ok - one is only about 12ft away from the infected one, but it seems to be ok.
I have plenty of other plants and shrubs around the infected acer - a huge rhododendron, 2 hydrangeas, thalictrum, astilbes, roses, salvias and several other plants all within a few feet and they all seem ok.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.