By Alanbarwick
Clwyd,
United Kingdom 
I have an acer brilliantissum,very slow growing, two years old.Every spring it buds and bursts into life, then something attacks, the leaves curl a bit but dont fall and it goes into a kind of dormant state, There is no growth, The leaves remain out and turn and fall in the autumn but growth is zero, Any ideas?I have another acer on the opposite side of the garden thatis doing well.
21 Sep, 2011
Answers
I don't know what causes this, but I can tell you my sister had the same problem with hers - she returned it after 18 months to the garden centre from where she bought it and replaced it with an Amelanchier instead. I examined hers at the time, but couldn't see anything in particular other than, as you described, stunted growth and a strange kind of dormancy as the summer progressed.
21 Sep, 2011
Snap i have had one for 5-6 years now and although its in a sheltered position i have exactly the same issues with it ,i thought at first this was due to it being in a pot but it is now in a very large pot with good soil/compost and it and it still looks ill.I assume your other acer isnt brilliantissimum!.
22 Sep, 2011
I would address the position, the soil and the roots.
Look into these three things and also see how the other plant differs in those same factors.
21 Sep, 2011