When your Bloodgood maple starts turning green, it could mean that the tree is not receiving the nutrients that it needs, and is asking for help to return to its natural state. It could be receiving inadequate light or a nutrient deficiency. It could also just be reverting back to its natural coloring, or you have what’s called a “green stock” tree.
Like other Japanese maples, Bloodgood maples can turn green if they don’t receive adequate sunlight. They prefer partial shade, with up to four hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight a day. Full sun or full shade could result in paler, less vibrant hues, or even turning green.
If your Bloodgood is not yet well-established, and it is turning green while shaded, or it is in full sun all day long, you might want to consider transplanting the tree.
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What if your Bloodgood is in perfect light, but still turning green?
In this case, it is possible that there is a nutrient deficiency in their soil. Just like humans, plants and trees require a certain amount of nutrients to be their best selves.
Manganese is the most common deficiency found in Bloodgood maples, and a lack of it can cause the leaves to turn a yellow or yellow-green color.
If you notice that your leaves are yellowish, try to get the soil tested to see what nutrients may be lacking.
What is Manganese deficiency?
Manganese is an essential plant micro nutrient. Manganese deficiency is a widespread problem in plant soil most often found in Sandy soil, organic soil, tropical soil, and soil that contains excess iron. Manganese is essential for physiological processes, particularly photosynthesis. A range of factors can affect Manganese levels in soil like;
- Nitrogen – Low amounts of Nitrogen levels can cause Manganese deficiency
- Organic matter – High amounts of Organic matter in soil can cause Manganese deficiency.
- Moisture – Poorly drained soil and a change in moisture in the soil can affect Manganese availability.
- PH Levels – PH Levels need to be balanced correctly, Low PH increases Manganese but too much can be toxic, High PH reduces Manganese availability.
How to fix it?
Here at The Walled Nursery, we recommend using a Miracle-Gro Tree & Shrub Plant Food Spikes, 12 Spikes/Pack. Miracle-Gro includes all organic nutrients you need to regain your Bloodgood Maples vibrant color back.
Using Miracle-Gro as a fertilizer has been proven to improve soil texture and important nutrients that are needed to improve growth and revitalize dying trees. The fertilizer sticks target the root zone to promote strong trees.
Miracle-Gro is also a chemical-free product and can be used with other crops e.g. Flowers, grass.
Miracle-grow sticks are simple to use and easy to change, these sticks only need to be used once per season, spring and fall.
Bloodgood Maple growth
It is also possible that your tree is just young and vigorous. Occasionally, trees that are young and growing very quickly tend to lose their colors. All of the sugars and nutrients that normally go to making the leaves their signature red color are being used to help the tree grow as quickly as possible, and so aren’t making their way into the leaves.
In this case, all you can do is wait until the tree gets a little older and slows down its growth. The original coloring of the tree should return.
What is Green Stock?
You may also have what is called a “green stock” tree. These are trees that can be difficult to cultivate but are in high demand.
The desired cultivar, in this case, the Bloodgood, is grafted to the rootstock of a more standard, green-foliaged tree. The green tree is still able to send out shoots as it grows, and over time the shoots may leaf out, dominating the red leaves.
If you notice that your tree is turning green, but also retaining some of the red leaves, you may have a green stock tree. Make sure to prune back any unwanted green branches when you notice them in order to prevent them from taking over.
Final Thoughts
Even established, healthy trees of a variegated variety can lose their variegation and revert back to their original color. Bloodgood maples are a cultivar that is cultivated for their desirable red leaves, but technically these leaves are a mutation of the natural green color of maple trees.
In some rare cases, the variegation can lose its pattern and revert back to the natural green color. This is not able to be reversed, as the tree isn’t technically in poor health.
