Do deciduous bonsai (or in-training) trees go dormant later than trees in the landscape?

[Melospiza]

I noticed that my pre-bonsai trees that are in containers as well as those being ground-grown seem to turn colour and go into dormancy well after larger trees in the landscape do. My Japanese maples (container), Gingko (container), Crape myrtle (container), Winged elm (container), Chinese elm (in the ground) and Japanese silverbell (in the ground) are all still pretty green, whereas the same species in gardens in my neighbourhood have already turned or even dropped their leaves. This happened last year too, and there were no ill effects. Could it be because my trees, being smaller (and therefore less-exposed to temperature swings) and often in part-shade take longer to feel the effects of winter setting in? Is this something anyone else has noticed?

 

[0soyoung]

Sun exposure, certainly. Dry soil also goes with earlier and better coloring.
My trees in pots are earlier that my landscape trees.
I have several air layers of the same acer palmatum and each changes at different times - it eludes me what the controlling variable(s) might be. Two lost all their leaves two weeks ago. One is nicely colored and the forth has new leaves on a branch tip right now. Its complicated

 

[TN_Jim]

I’m seeing that with beech, hornbeam, and hop hornbeam.

I figured it was these getting consistent love, nutrition, more ideal watering, etc...rather than the landscape trees that gotta fight for it.

Also, the landscape trees I’m referring to are 30-100’ tall, exposed to the elements more, and water/nutrients have a lot farther to travel for an overall tree to meet fitness requirements -rather than ~1-3’ as w/ mine.

 

[Deleted member 21616]

if it's not random, there must be SO many inscrutable and for the most part interrelated factors that it might as well be considered random

 

[0soyoung]

if it's not random, there must be SO many inscrutable and for the most part interrelated factors that it might as well be considered random

It just doesn't happen at any random time of year.
But you are right in the sense that it happens randomly about a common average affected by many conditions/treatments - there definitely are specific causes; temperature (above and below ground), day length, light level, and stress variables like soil moisture. Enough exogenous ethylene will make leaves color and even drop, just like it is fall.

 

[Soldano666]

Mine are later as well. I'm thinking it's about the heavy feeding.