Will black spot kill a maple tree?
William Smith
Published Jun 03, 2026
Will black spot kill a maple tree?
Maple Tar Spot is a common fungal disease whose name describes it well: maple leaves display dark, round spots that look like tar has been splashed on them. While it’s unattractive and can spread easily, Maple Tar Spot is not fatal to your trees.
How do you fix maple black spots?
How to Treat and Prevent Black Spots on Maple Leaves
- Remove any Moisture Excess Near Your Maple Tree.
- Be Sure to Rake and Destroy Any Fallen Leaves.
- Call a Professional to Apply Fungicide to Your Tree.
Are your maple trees dotted with black spots?
A lot of maple leaves that have fallen lately have black spots on them that make it look like the trees that shed them may be sick. But the ugly markings — known as “tar spots” — are far more benign than they appear and are nothing to worry about, according to tree disease expertise.
Why do maple leaves have black spots on them?
in spring, microscopic spores are released which are airborne. The wind carries them over a distance and some of them land on maple tree leaves. the sticky spores open up and start colonizing the leaf, and the imbalance resulting from this causes the maple leaves to form yellow and then black spots.
Why are the leaves on my maple tree turning black?
Do those black spots on maple leaves hurt the tree? Maple tar spot is mostly a cosmetic issue. The dots bring down the look of your tree – and can even cause early leaf drop. But that’s about the extent of the issue.
What does a tar spot on a maple tree look like?
Maple tar spot is a very visible problem for maple trees. It starts with small yellow spots on growing leaves, and by late summer these yellow spots expand into large black blotches that look like tar has been dropped on the leaves.
Why are the leaves falling off my Norway maple tree?
Tar spot will not kill your trees, but it’s unsightly and can cause them to drop their leaves before the fall season. The spots first appear as small yellow spots in June. Then, they progress to the black spots on the leaves you see above. Their size ranges from one-eighth of an inch to an inch or more in diameter on the Norway Maple.
When do maple trees start to lose their leaves?
While this affects maple trees in general, it especially targets Norway, silver, and sugar varieties. Tar spot will not kill your trees, but it’s unsightly and can cause them to drop their leaves before the fall season. The spots first appear as small yellow spots in June.
These spots are caused by a fungal disease aptly called Tar Spot. In many cases, these leaves with the black spots are dropping early, which adds to the concern. The black spots that look like big drops of tar look ugly, but the disease doesn’t hurt the tree or affect it’s over all health. There are three different, but related fungi.
Maple tar spot is a very visible problem for maple trees. It starts with small yellow spots on growing leaves, and by late summer these yellow spots expand into large black blotches that look like tar has been dropped on the leaves.
Tar spot will not kill your trees, but it’s unsightly and can cause them to drop their leaves before the fall season. The spots first appear as small yellow spots in June. Then, they progress to the black spots on the leaves you see above. Their size ranges from one-eighth of an inch to an inch or more in diameter on the Norway Maple.
While this affects maple trees in general, it especially targets Norway, silver, and sugar varieties. Tar spot will not kill your trees, but it’s unsightly and can cause them to drop their leaves before the fall season. The spots first appear as small yellow spots in June.