japanese maple tree

Ridgefield, NJ

my japanese maple tree is 35 years old. Until last year the tree was fine. Some branches started to die last year and more this year (2005). I hired a tree specialist to come look at it and he reported that the tree was diseased. When I asked what the disease was, he thought it might be carpenter ants. How can I find out if this is true or what else it might be? The tree has sentinmental value to me, since it was my parents, who have passed away. I hope someone can give me some input on how to treat this situation.

Illinois, IL(Zone 5b)

Did you pay your "tree specialist" yet?

Looik in the yellow pages for a professional arborist with ISA certification, or contact your extension office. Carpenter ants are not a disease and are not causing the problem, although they might be present.

You might have verticillium, or scale insects, or something else. Find someone who actually knows something, and don't pay anyone who says it has a "disease" called carpenter ants any more than you would pay a plumber to conduct open-heart surgery on your kid!

Guy S.

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