Question
We just bought a house in november in Amarillo texas... We have these 'twigs' for trees in our front yard! I am not sure when they were planted but the tag says maple autumn blaze.. And the house was built in 2004... There are no leaves or buds and they are about 4ft tall. What should we do? They appear to be alive but aren't growing.

Answer
Sabra:
Using your fingernail, gently scratch a few stems to remove the outer bark in a small area. Look for green beneath. If present, the tree should be OK.  Here in Arkansas, the maples are budding out but no leaves yet. 4 ft is quite short, so don't be in a hurry to get a mature full sized tree. This particular maple has good fall color in our part of the world.  You always have the option to install a larger tree that maybe a bit stronger for the winters that you can experience in Amarillo.

Regards
Steve