I have an outdoor Japanese Maple in North Carolina that’s been pretty healthy for the last couple years. However, last month, all of the leaves on one branch turned brown, shriveled and died within a couple days. I found webs on it and saw tiny black specks on inspection that I assumed were spider mites. I sprayed it down with neem oil. That entire branch eventually died, but the tree was hanging in there. Then, last weekend, I noticed the same thing happening but all over the tree this time. Once again, I can see small webs. I sprayed it down with neem oil again. Within two days, about 4/5 of the leaves on the tree are dead. At this point of the year and in this shape, can it still be salvaged?

Impossible to tell without a picture I am afraid.

Trees are like humans. The stronger they are the better they Will cope with infections. If it has been in the same pot all the time, maybe it is due for repotting come spring?

But a picture would do all the difference in the quality of the answers.

What part of North Carolina? Climate is a lot different in different parts.

Have you been to the bonsai section of the arboretum in Asheville?

Thank you for your responses. I’ve attached a photo. It happened so quickly, it was just yellowish/unhappy 2 or 3 days ago and looks like this now. The soil is not dry. I’m a novice, received it as a gift a year ago, had hoped to take some bonsai classes this spring but then Covid, all that to say that I’ve kept up on watering and fertilizer but haven’t learned how to repot yet or do much pruning. I’m in Durham, NC. I’d imagine it would probly be normally dropping leaves and going dormant in a month or so. Assuming the roots are alright and the leaves have been infected, just wondering if there’s anything to do to preserve it between now and then? Or is it a goner? Can it survive in September w/o leaves? I put a box behind it so that you could see it better, but please let me know if it’s still hard to see

Weather there may have put the tree through a summer dormant period. That is a little like fall, but the leaves just curl up and stop functioning because it is just too hot. Then September comes, it cools off at least at night, and the leaves come back. Give it a while. And give it water when the soil dries out, which may be twice a day.

I used to live just south of there, outside Pittsboro. I remember one summer in a 10 day spell there were highs of 108-109, lows of 101-102, and humidity never dropped below 98%. It was brutal and this would drive trees into dormancy.

100F = 38C. That's hot. 110F = 44C. That's hotter.

Ivan Mann wrote: 110F = 44C. That's hotter.

44°C is hell.

Clicio wrote:

Ivan Mann wrote: 110F = 44C. That's hotter.

44°C is hell.

I lived in a house without air conditioning, drove a car without air conditioning, worked in a building with lousy air conditioning, and sweated a whole lot. 10 days and nine nights. Even I thought it was hot.

Thank you all for the help; I really appreciate it! I cleared off all the dead leaves, and will watch it closely. The limbs seem healthy for now, at least.

Looks to me like t has been underwatered during hot weather. That has caused the tree to shed leaves. If it had adequate water it would not happen.