These are a couple of pictures of my Fireglow, taken last year.

I got this tree about five years ago from the same nursery as the shaina and at approximately the same size.
(The fireglow is about 8 feet tall now)

My other maples, (which I don't have pics of yet) are doing just as well as the fireglow .. It is only the shaina that is or has ever been 'sick'.

Perhaps it ran short of water last year.

As for cutting out the dead stuff, No Paint or seal needed.

Thank You for your help but .. I always make sure that my plants and most especially the maples are watered properly.

Even though I don't rely on them 100%, I use one of those "electronic moisture testers".

Lilac blight (Pseudomonas) and verticillium wilt are common on Japanese maple cultivars, cause blighting off like this.

I've quit buying them.

I have studied up on verticillium wilt and it doesn't look like it but .. I still have my fingers crossed!

When jean001 mentioned the lack of water .. I got to thinking: There was a relatively Hot period right after I got the maple and I was away for a few days.

Maybe the larger and more mature trees were able to take the heat a little better than the newly planted Shaina?

Just a thought.

I have found Shaina to be very finicky. In my area (central jersey) it does not do well in windy areas or winter over very well. I always have to find some protected areas for them. I gave up on them and try to grow the "Royal", or "Fireball" which both are very bright red witchbrooms and tolerate the winter with no die backs.

Dave

My Shaina did the exact same thing. Only one branch was left alive. I pruned off the dead stuff and it has now come back to some degree and looks OK; although at 1/2 the size it was originally. I'm trying 'Fireball' to see how it stacks up. So far, no die back at all.

The originaly 3 fireballs that I had did extremely well in the sun without any burns and weathered the winter nicely. My only problem was when I moved them and the rest was history on those 3.

Mary Cathrine or Carl's Corner are also good plants. I am told that they are one in the same plant.

Dave