Slotted maple is one of the maple species that is not native to Europe. It is therefore hardly surprising that home gardeners complain particularly frequently about frost damage to Acer palmatum. This guide explains the typical symptoms and gives tried-and-tested tips for countermeasures and prevention.
What to do if a maple tree is damaged by frost?
Freeze damage to a maple tree is manifested by limp shoots, wilted leaf tips and drying, brown leaves. Repair the damage by cutting back frozen shoot tips, waiting to see whether the maple regenerates and applying preventative winter protection such as leaf mold or fleece cover.
Identifying frost damage – an overview of common symptoms
When slot maple from Asia found its way into European gardens, the tree already had limited winter hardiness. Small, slow-growing varieties have the advantage of being better equipped for our cool, dry winter climate and shorter growing season. However, frost damage can occur, which can be recognized by these symptoms:
- Young shoots hang limply
- Wilting, dry leaf tips despite wind-protected location
- Successively drying, brown leaves
Victims of delayed ground frosts will, in the worst case scenario, shed all of their leaves. In less severe cases, the outer areas of the slot maple are bare and the leaves have only survived inside the shrub-like crown.
Repair and prevent frost damage – This is how it works
After acclimatization of two to three years, a slot maple in the bed is well hardy. Until then, it can suffer frost damage in the harsh winter. In later years, there will still be a pronounced sensitivity to frost if the tree has already sprouted in spring. We have put together tips for damage control and effective prevention for you below:
- Cut back frozen shoot tips into he althy wood
- After some of the leaves have dropped, wait a few weeks to see whether the slot maple regenerates itself
- Protect with winter protection in the planting year and the following years
- Cover the root disc at least 5 cm high with leaf mold or brushwood
- In the blazing winter sun and bitter frost, put on a fleece hood
A properly cared for slot maple tree has sufficient vitality to recover from minor frost damage. Therefore, please only use scissors after a vitality test. To do this, lightly scratch the bark of affected shoots. Green tissue signals that the frost damage will be repaired on your own. If the branch is gray and dry under the bark, cut it off with sharp, disinfected scissors (€17.00 on Amazon).
Tip
Small cultivars of slot maple, such as 'Orange Dream' or 'Shaina', thrive excellently in pots. If the location is outside mild winter regions, you can effectively prevent frost damage by clearing away the tree. From November to March, the Asian gem is better off in frost-free, bright winter quarters.
