A couple of years ago, I bought (from T&M) a dwarf, purple leafed acer
to go in a large ceramic pot.The phrase "atropurpureum dissectum"
springs to mind as part of the name. In year 1 I had some decent
purple leaf growth right up the stem. Last year, the lower stem was
bare but there was a good head of purple growth. This year, though, it
looks totally different. I've got a pic at http://tinyurl.com/5r7zt5v.

It's not a graft issue - there are stems/branches of the green leaves
emerging from the remaining main stem both below and above the purple
bit. Any "branches" not bearing green or purple leaf this year were
most certainly dead.

This is a new one for me and I'd be grateful for advice on whether I
should (a) chop out all the green growth and hope that the purple
develops a bit more next year- it's now about three feet above
"ground" rather than just above as it was orignally - or (b) forget
any chance of recovery and get a new one for the container (I'll find
somewhere to plant whatever this tree is rather than simply waste it).

Thanks

Jake