Calling all armchair Horticulturalists!

[Marveltone]

We have a Maple tree behind the outhouse we dearly love. My wife's parents planted it the spring she was born. Last time I was mowing, I noticed I was getting covered with sticky, white fluffy stuff while brushing against the tree. I took a closer look and this is what I found. The leaves were covered with some white residue, many were wilted, and some even had some fuzzy clumps around them here are a couple of pictures. They're not the best, as they were taken by my phone, but hopefully, you'll see what I mean.

Any ideas?

Joe

 

[forgeblast]

could be some type of caterpiller/spider web going on. I would cut it out and burn it.
I though I saw some on a birch tree we had, I though someone said it was a
leaf roller caterpiller, but not 100% sure.

 

[Marveltone]

I'm wondering if it's either a parasite or a disease. I know the pictures are bad, so the details are sketchy at best. What looks like a cocoon in the pictures really looks more like dandelion fluff in real life. It sticks straight out from the branches instead of wrapping around like a cocoon.

Joe

 

[gullyf]

Yeah, pictures leave a bit to be desired, but if I had to guess I'd say that the middle picture is powdery mildew on a silver maple. The other two pictures *might* be woolly aphids, though the second picture seems more characteristic of them than the first.

The majority of the leaves seem to be clean, so there is likely nothing to worry about if this is the case. Neither is terribly harmful unless there are huge numbers of aphids or the tree is stressed.

I'd consult your local arboricultural or agricultural extension service if you want more info...

 

[RobertBrown]

Powdery Mildew (goggle it and see if you think that's what t is}
Not necessarily a big deal. But if it looks threatening......The best thing to do is trim the leaves and collect them then discard or burn. Remove any excess leaf litter away from tree and give it some fresh mulch or good compost.

 

[massey990]

Do you have a county extension agent ? usually you can take them a sample and they will id the problem, often they will even come out to your property.