How to Check the Health of Your Maple Tree

Maples are tough, beautiful shade trees—but like any living thing, they show early warning signs when something’s off. Here’s a simple, homeowner-friendly guide to spot problems early and keep your maple thriving.

Quick 60-Second Check

• Crown looks full and even? (No big bare patches or thinning)

• Leaves look normal? (Right size/color for the season; no widespread browning)

• Trunk is clean? (No oozing, deep cracks, or mushrooms)

• Root flare visible? (You can see the trunk widen at the soil line; no mulch piled against bark)

• No “sawdust” piles or perfectly round exit holes? (Could signal boring insects)

If two or more items raise concerns, keep reading and consider a pro inspection.

1) Leaves: Your First Clue

Healthy: Consistent size, appropriate seasonal color, minimal spotting.

Watch for:

• Scorch: Brown, crispy edges → often heat/drought or salt stress.

• Tar spot (black polka-dots) or anthracnose (irregular brown blotches along veins): Usually cosmetic, but heavy, repeated infections mean the tree is stressed.

• Early leaf drop or undersized leaves: Root or soil issues, drought, or disease.

• Sticky leaves/sooty mold: Often from aphids or scale insects feeding above.

What to do: Water deeply during dry spells, improve mulch/soil, and prune to improve air flow (winter or very early spring is best).

2) Branches & Crown Structure

Healthy: Even, rounded canopy with flexible twigs and healthy buds.

Watch for:

• Dieback from the tips inward (dead twigs that snap easily).

• Epicormic sprouts (tufts of new shoots from trunk/large limbs) — stress response.

• Tight V-shaped branch unions with included bark — prone to splitting.

What to do: Prune out deadwood; reduce end-weight on heavy limbs; consider cabling/bracing only after an arborist’s assessment.

3) Trunk & Bark

Healthy: Continuous bark, minor cosmetic flakes/lichen are fine.

Watch for:

• Vertical cracks or fresh splits (especially after storms or deep freezes).

• Sunken, callused areas (cankers) — common entry points for decay.

• Dark, weeping streaks (“slime flux”/bacterial wetwood) — often not fatal, but indicates stress.

• Hollow sounds when tapped with a rubber mallet — possible internal decay.

What to do: Keep string trimmers/mowers away; never “volcano mulch”; get significant cracks or cankers evaluated.

4) Roots, Root Flare & Soil

Healthy: A visible root flare (trunk widens where it meets soil), firm ground, no heaving. Watch for:

• Mushrooms or conks at the base — can indicate internal decay.

• Girdling roots (roots wrapping around the trunk) — can choke the tree, causing thinning crowns and one-sided decline.

• Soil compaction (paths/parking under the canopy) — reduces oxygen and water uptake.

What to do: Maintain a mulch ring from trunk to dripline if possible: 2–3" deep, pulled 3–6" back from the bark. Aerate compacted soil (air-tool methods), and correct girdling roots while the tree is young.

5) Pests & Diseases to Know (Fast ID)

• Verticillium wilt: One-sided wilting or sudden dieback; streaking in sapwood. Needs lab confirmation; manage stress and consult a pro.

• Asian longhorned beetle (in some regions): Perfectly round ~⅜" exit holes; coarse sawdust-like frass on trunk/branches. Report immediately to local authorities.

• Aphids/scale: Sticky honeydew, sooty mold. Often manageable with water, pruning, and beneficial insects.

• Leaf galls/mite blisters: Usually cosmetic; focus on overall tree vigor.

6) Simple DIY Tests

• Scratch test: Lightly scrape bark on a small twig; green = alive, brown/brittle = dead.

• Bud check: Plump, well-formed buds signal good energy reserves.

• Sounding: Tap trunk/large limbs with a rubber mallet; dull, drum-like spots may indicate cavities—get it checked.

7) Seasonal Care Tips

• Spring: Check for even budbreak; refresh mulch; correct low branches before leaf-out.

• Summer: Deep, infrequent watering during droughts; watch for scorch, pests, and sooty mold.

• Fall: Normal color change is fine; early browning/drop can signal stress.

• Winter: Best time for structural pruning; inspect for cracks after heavy snow/ice.

When to Call a Pro ASAP

• Mushroom conks or a cavity at the base

• Big dead limbs over targets (driveway, sidewalk, play area)

• >20% crown dieback year over year

• Fresh cracks, sudden leans, or soil heaving

• Perfectly round borer exit holes or significant trunk wounds

Printable Mini-Checklist

• ☐ Crown full and balanced

• ☐ Leaves normal size/color; no heavy scorch or drop

• ☐ No large dead branches or fresh cracks

• ☐ Root flare visible; mulch donut, not volcano

• ☐ No mushrooms/conks, no round exit holes or sawdust piles

Think your maple’s under the weather? Get a quick, no-pressure health check—

call today.