AusBonsai

Hi Everyone,
Such a great forum, this is my first post...

My bonsai maple is showing spots on the leaves. I have had a look on google to see what it could possibly be, and the most I have found is that it could be a fungus. Still not sure.
Has anyone else experienced this and how have you overcome it? (geez that sounds like a job interview question! lol!)

Thanks in advance for the help x

PS : have attached a pic... hope it came through.

Obviously the picture did not upload. Try again so we can check what you may have. Make sure the photos are in focus and clear. There is some advice on uploading photos in 'The menu' folder here - viewtopic.php?f=97&t=54
I think there is little to worry about leaf problems this time of year because leaves will drop soon. Use normal hygene - collect all leaves as they drop and dispose of them so disease is reduced. Check for similar outbreaks next spring.

Thanks for the link. I'll have to try again tomorrow.
I have been removing the affected leaves in an effort to stop the spread (in case it is a fungus).
I'm just an over protective mother when it comes to my maples!
I have grown them from teeny tiny skinny saplings and i have grand plans!

second attempt...think it worked

OK Marz,
I think that your Maples may be Liquidambars, check if the buds or leaves on the stem are alternate (left, right, left) or are opposite (arranged in pairs).

Alternate buds/leaves= Liquidambar
Opposite buds/leaves= Maple

The color change on your leaves is predominately the transition into autumn colour, the spots are no big concern, your trees will be leafless soon anyway.

Cheers,
Mojo

I agree. Those leaves look very much like liquidamber to me as well.
I would also not be worried about a few dark spots on leaves at this time of year but keep an eye on it in spring and summer to see if it comes back.

Hi guys,
Thanks for the tips.

I just did some investigation and it appears that your bonsai senses are spot on.... I believe I have liquidambars.
I tried to study the leaves, but ...umm... Well lets just say I need to study some more! Lol
The internet confirmed my investigation. .. it was the "spikey ball fruit/seed" that did it.

But here's my next question: what's the difference?
Are Liquidambars less prestigious than maples?
Are LAs (yep my abbrev!) Easier to grow or is both the same?
Is there anything particularly different I should be doing?

Cheers

As far as culture goes very little difference between maples and L.A. Treat it pretty much the same as you would trident maple.
Leaves of LA tend to be larger. They will reduce when grown as bonsai but still nowhere as small as the favourite maples - Trident maple and Japanese maple.
LA autumn colour is very good, usually better than trident maple.
LA is probably a little hardier than trident maple and far tougher than Japanese maple.
LA is prone to root suckering and that can keep you busy snipping off the little suckers growing from the roots.
I find that LA do not ramify (branch out) as quickly or easily as the maples but I have seen some good bonsai examples and there's no doubt you can make a good bonsai from this species.

Fabulous! Thank you for the info.
I have 5 LAs at home and I plan on making a forest with 4 and 1 on its own. Next spring!

Have a look at pictures of groups, four is typically avoided for aesthetic and suspicious reasons, believe something to do with the Japanese symbol / sound for four being similar to death (I stand corrected) if you plan to use four perhaps try and group three together one separate, or go with three or five trees. You have time to research over winter so look at pictures.

At a recent club demo, demonstrator mentioned LA don't like pesticides sprayed on / near their leaves, even drift can cause black spots (personally never witnessed) Have you sprayed on / near the trees recently. As stated above trees will drop leaves soon anyway.

Wow... didn't think of that... #4 is bad... ok advice taken!

I had not sprayed my LAs.
I usually keep my plants under a beige shade cloth . Since finding the spots, and reading that it 'might' be a fungus, I have moved them into direct sunlight these past 2 days.

See how it goes.

Marz wrote:Wow... didn't think of that... #4 is bad... ok advice taken!

I had not sprayed my LAs.

See how it goes.

Just out of interest have you sprayed any other trees or plants recently.

Josh

CraigM wrote:the Japanese symbol / sound for four being similar to death (I stand corrected)

It's the sound "shi". "Yon" is also another way to say four in Japanese.

Hi Josh,
No, I haven't sprayed any of my plants at all this year. I didn't need to, up until I saw the spots on my LAs. (Still not sprayed) All my other plants are going great. No issues. They've all been sitting together in their enclosure.
I'd send you a pic but I have to reduce the pic size in order to upload and I dont know how to do that on my phone (Im at work atm)

Which sprays should I avoid for my LAs? (For future reference)

A bit of plant trivia: Liquidambar styraciflua was once thought to be a maple (1700s?) and briefly named Acer styraciflua, it is common to confuse the two.

Cheers,
Mojo