Seiryu Maple Decline: Likely Dead

Assessment

Progressive wilting and death of branches after leaf-out, despite sanitation pruning, indicates systemic failure. Check for green tissue under bark by scraping downward from branch tips.

Verdict

If no green tissue is found down to the trunk, the tree is dead. Possible causes: verticillium wilt, root rot, or vascular disease. Leafhopper-vectored pathogens are plausible but unconfirmed.

Replace the tree.