Pocket Botanist
Check these first
- Look closely at the undersides of leaves and branches for white cottony masses.
- Check if the soil is dry and needs a deep watering.
- Observe if the curling happens only during the hottest part of the day.
Likely causes
Cottony Maple Scale
Most likelyHow to tell: You will see small, white, cottony masses on the undersides of the branches. The leaves may curl or turn yellow as the insects feed on the sap.
What to do: Apply a horticultural oil during the dormant season to smother the eggs. For active infestations, you can prune away heavily affected branches.
Heat Stress
PossibleHow to tell: Leaves curl inward during the hottest part of the day to conserve moisture. The edges may appear slightly crispy or brown.
What to do: Provide extra water during extreme heat waves to keep the root zone consistently moist. Applying a layer of wood chip mulch around the base will help retain soil moisture.
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 curling is accompanied by heavy leaf drop or if the white cottony masses are visible on many branches. Slight curling on a hot afternoon is a normal reaction to heat.
Stopping it coming back
Keep the tree healthy with proper watering and monitor for pests in early spring. A healthy tree is much better at resisting scale insects.
Silver maple: curling leaves? 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
- Will curling leaves kill my tree?
- Usually not, unless the cause is a severe pest infestation that goes untreated for a long time. Most trees recover once the stressor is removed.
- Should I spray my tree with chemicals?
- Avoid harsh chemicals if possible, as they can harm beneficial insects. Horticultural oil is a safer, effective choice for scale.
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 are my silver maple's leaf tips turning brown?
- Why is my silver maple drooping?
- Why is my Silver Maple showing signs of root rot?
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.