ABCarve
Masterpiece
Since defoliation can do wonders for ramification, how do you know which species can have that do to them? Is there a list? What is the criteria for a species as a candidate?
A slight correction: There's no real point to defoliation before the tree is 90% styled because its real benefit is reduced leaf size. Ramification is created by well-planned pruning.
Sure, but why would you?I believe chinese elms can be defoliated?
Good question!
Unfortunately, there are no easy answers.
Take Japanese Maple, for instance. Some you can, some you can't. No, I don't have a list.
I asked Boon. He said, "The fancy varieties usually don't bud back, so don't defoliate. You can cut back, but don't defoliate". The "ordinary" varieties, you can defoliate. How do you know which are which? I haven't a clue. I have a "Seigen". He said not to defoliate. I'm thinking if it is a named cultivar, don't risk it. Unless you are informed otherwise by an experienced practitioner.
I have seen videos of partial defoliation. Japanese maple, for example. Cut back to two leaves on a stem. Either cut one leaf off leaving the other, or cut each leaf in half. That way you reduce the leaf surface but keep the sap line active. Either way increases the light into the interior of the tree.
Trident maple: defoliate all you want. I've defoliated twice so far this year. Will probably do another.
Zelkova also defoliate well. I've done it twice this year, too. Very tedious to do them, very short stem. Don't pull them off, you'll destroy the buds.
Sure, but why would you?
I've defoliated a dissected leaf Japanese maple in the summer, Inabe shidare. Sorry, no pic to back it up. It had lots of sun scorch.
Interesting, here is an exmple of quoting something I had heard.
Leaf size reduction is not inherent with defoliation - it occurs only with certain species. Often it is just an illusion because leaves enlarge slowly after emergence (this is the case with zelkovas, for example).