I had a beautiful lace leaf maple for 12 years that started doing that. The
first year two branches didn't open their leaves I was only mildly
concerned. The leaf buds dried up and crumbled off so I just pruned the two
dead branches thinking they'd somehow gotten damaged during the winter. By
fall leaves on about a third of the branches were not looking too good. The
following spring it hardly had any leaves opening at all. I took a branch,
with unopened leaves to plant guru at my nursery and was told it was either
Verticillium or Fusarium Wilt. It's a soil born fungus. Most likely it was
there when you planted the tree. The fungus can lie dormant for many years
until it gets optimal conditions to grow. Unfortunately there is no cure and
nothing you can do to save the tree. You might want to check with a good
nursery to see if this is what you have. Watering and fertilizing only will
make things worse. Acers are particularly susceptible to demise from this
soil fungus.

If, by chance this is what you have, and if your tree dies no matter what
you do, be very careful what you plant in that area and make sure it (and
others besides maples) is resistant to this nasty stuff.

Val

"pbein" wrote in message
...
Hello!
My 5 year old Moon Maple has 2 branches on one side where the leaves
have not opened up.The rest of the tree has got only healthy looking
beautiful leaves.If anyone knows what it could be.Pls.post. I am quite
worried about the tree.
Thanx.
Sandra