Pocket BotanistCheck these first
- Check the soil moisture at a depth of 3 inches.
- Inspect the area for recent salt application or chemical runoff.
- Look at the weather history to see if there has been a recent dry spell.
Likely causes
Drought Stress
PossibleHow to tell: The tips of the leaves turn brown and brittle during hot, dry spells. The soil will feel dry several inches down.
What to do: Water the tree deeply once every 7 to 14 days. Apply a 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch around the base to help retain soil moisture.
Excessive Salt
PossibleHow to tell: The leaf tips turn brown and the edges may curl. This often happens if the tree is near a road or sidewalk treated with salt in winter.
What to do: Flush the soil around the tree with large amounts of water to leach out the salts. Avoid using deicing salts near the root zone in the future.
Find out what's wrong with your silver maple
The list above covers the usual causes. Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your actual plant and tells you the likely cause, how serious it is, and what to try first. Identification and a health check are free.
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When to worry
Worry if the browning moves from the tips toward the center of the leaf. Minor browning at the very edge is often just a reaction to summer heat.
Stopping it coming back
Keep the tree well watered during dry periods and apply mulch to keep the roots cool.
Silver maple: brown tips? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your silver maple and Pocket Botanist tells you which cause is most likely, how serious it is, and what to try first. A few checks a day are free. Save the plant and you get care reminders timed for it.
Scan with your phone's camera to get the app
Or go to pocketbotanist.app/get on your phone
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Questions people ask
- Can I trim off the brown tips?
- Yes, you can trim them for aesthetic reasons, but it does not fix the underlying problem. Use clean shears and cut just outside the green tissue.
- Does my silver maple need more shade?
- Silver maples prefer full sun, but they need enough water to support that exposure. If the tree is young, provide extra water during the hottest part of the day.
Guides to these causes
More problems with Silver maple
- Why does my Silver maple have white cottony stuff on the branches?
- What are these spots on my Silver maple leaves?
- Why is my Silver maple dropping leaves in summer?
- Why are my silver maple's leaves turning yellow?
- Why is my silver maple drooping?
- Why is my Silver Maple showing signs of root rot?
- Why are my Silver Maple's leaves curling?
Back to the Silver maple guide
This article was generated with AI on from the plant’s care profile and is general information, not horticultural advice. Read about how we build these guides.