I was at a garden center today and there was a young worker there pulling off every single leaves of red japanese maples, I guess the burnt tips looked bad and they where not selling, and this is a way to get new leaves? Some were growing brand new leaves again. Is this a common practice in stores, I was at another nursery and the tree was completely bare too on their own tree, and I doubt the sun has scrotched every single leaves.
I have seen this done in nurseries before, not specifically on Japanese Maples but to deciduous trees under stress from lack of water and sunburn. the theory (as it was told to me) was that by reducing the leaves you reduce or eliminate the transpiration (water loss ) of the leaves / plant and it doesnt get more damage during the warm/hot weather. I dont agree with this practice personally or professionally. I think its stupid, I would suggest they water the plant more if that is problem or find some shade for the plant. I don't think that it would be so difficult to find the alternative care methods reasonable and effective.
Hi, I've never seen this done at any nursery here in LA. Often times bonsaists will pinch back spring growth to encourage smaller leaves to come out. This doesn't hurt the tree's health or promote it's health. It's simply done as an aesthetic thing to have small leaves on a miniature tree. Personally I don't think it wrong or right for a nursery to do such a thing. If that's what they think they need to do to make the plant look better and sell. I don't think that's any different than pruning back roses or other plants. Layne
I recently purchased a Butterfly maple at a local nursery, it was in good shape, and had nice verigation and form. I repotted the plant, mainly wanting to get all the osmocote out and let the tree have a fresh start in a slightly bigger pot, with morning sun. Within a week, I started noticing powdery mildew and leaf burn, not wanting it to spread, I pruned the leaves with the worst cases. To my suprise, the leaves grew back, with much more color and intensity. As the "original" leaves had leaf burn (due to transplant shock or the heat wave that hit Los Angeles), I have slowly trimmed back, and my Butterfly is now all with new growth, no powdery mildew or leaf burn. Though I did it gradually, the defolition proccess gave a much stronger, healther tree.
Hi Everyone, I can only agree. I grow maples in a very hot country where summer tempertures exceed 40°C. Spring is good but once summer arrives leafs starting to scorch. I defoiliated a moon fire and a stella rosa and achieves to get fresh dark leaves lasting until winter. regards Wolf
Great topic. I have a 7-8 foot red leaf maple (name tag lost years ago) growing in all day sun (none after 4-5pm) in a half wine barrel that every year come June-July bronzes orange and then drops its crisped leaves. Then in a matter of a month or so the plant comes alive with beautiful new red leaves. I have other plants where I will remove burned leaves to see how and if they regrow. I have had regrowth and I have had nothing. Are there some general rules about removing burned leaves for new foliage regrowth?
Many things could be going on in the situation you described. The plant could have been diseased, had aphids on the leaves, the leaves could have been crisp from powdery mildew or they could have been sun burnt. And so on...you should have asked! From a nursery standpoint, it can be easier to strip leaves on a small plant than let them fall and scatter. This is especially true if they have bugs or disease which could then spread. However, If you strip too early, you can inhibit new growth...the buds can dry out. If you strip when the buds are swelling you can get a new flush of growth...which then makes the plant saleable. robert
Removing live leaves can't make the tree stronger and healthier. It won't be neutral in effect, either. Tape over your mouth so you can't eat for some weeks and see how much stronger and healthier you are afterward. Leaves are the tree's food-making organs. Plants are organisms, not inert objects. Bonsai are referred to as dwarfed, potted trees for a reason. Cultivation techniques used for these are employed to produce a miniaturized tree. While some have been kept going for centuries, this is done with daily coddling - part of the marvel associated with such specimens is that generations of caretakers have been involved. If conditions are suitable a scorched tree will put out a new set of leaves on its own. Picking the previous set of leaves off beforehand won't assist the tree with this effort. You really can't force a plant into doing anything. Even forced potted bulbs are just doing what they were going to do anyway. 'Fooling' them might be a more apt term for this.
