The RHS says Cercis canadensis can be coppiced, so i think thats a yes.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/about-the-rhs/publications/the-garden/the-garden-back-issues/2013-issues/january/How-to-pollard-and-coppice-shrubs.pdf

Thank you, Indianagardengirl.

Even if Cercis can be coppiced (which I've never seen done intentionally), fall would be the worst time to do it. You'll want to wait until the tree is fully dormant or close to breaking dormancy in late winter/early spring.

Why would fall be the worst time?

Pruning stimulates growth. Unless the tree is fully dormant before any late season pruning, it could encourage growth that does not have time to harden off before winter and so therefore subject to cold damage.

There are redbuds that naturally grow in a shrubby form. Cercis canadensis var. texensis 'Oklahoma' often tends to be short, squat and multitrunked.

uhmmm.. if its a grafted plant... which i think they all are but for the species ... cersis canendensis... or somesuch ....

and you remove the valuable grafted part .. then you just paid a very high premium for the old standard. somewhat invasive seeding redbud ..

whether you can or cant do something.. i ask.. WHY ... your reasons dont work for me ..

but.. that said.. its your tree.. do whatever you want with it ..

ken

ps: i would NOT buy that creeping zone carp in ME.. just like i dont buy it here in my MI ... sooner or later cold wins ... it is a very expensive hobby trying to beat ma nature ... but again.. if it rings your chimes.. keep at it ...

Flame thrower is a pretty awesome selection so i think it's worth as much trouble as your maple was!

Did you see dieback this spring? I would try the cage with leaves but wouldn't cut the tree back any. If the winter is bad maybe you'll see the upper parts damaged yet the protected base will sprout well, in which case just trim out the dead and enjoy the new growth. With some of the trunk protected you may even see a few blooms on there.

I did have some dieback, katob. Again, last winter was the coldest in several years with the thermometer dropping to minus one or two about ten nights, so I'm hoping this coming winter will continue our warming trend and between the warming trend and the cage, I won't have dieback again. The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99% of the world's seawater. We now have Great White Sharks and more striped bass every year and that great mass of warming water is only a mile away.

I'll follow your advice and gardengal's and won't trim. Just the cage with the leaves. You're right about the awesomeness of the Flamethrower. I've never seen such a spectacular tree. Nothing is close. Everyday, it's like having a new tree in my yard. It begins the season in the richest red. Then it turns to yellow, orange, and red. Then it goes green and red, which make a stunning contrast. Then back to yellow, orange, and red with discernible shifts every morning. I did get a few flowers, but the leaves are the true show.

I've been thinking about Ken's position. I paid $150 for the tree. It's in its second, glorious year. At the start of the summer, I paid about $200 for six delphiniums. They too are glorious, but they'll only live two to three years. I paid hundreds for this summer's annuals. Of course, they'll last one year.

If I lose my Flamethrower Redbud this winter, and I don't think I will, I won't feel like my money was wasted because for two summers, I've been able to witness the most colorful tree of my life and I've grown over 100 Japanese maples and planted hundreds of other trees, so I've seen some colorful trees, but they all pale next to a Flamethrower.

"At the start of the summer, I paid about $200 for six delphiniums".

Good lord! Unless these Delphiniums were encrusted with 24-karat gold, I think you need to find a new source for your plants!

My local garden center sells Delphiniums from the "New Millennium" series (which are some of the more vigorous/disease-resistant selections) at about $14 in a 1 gal. size or about $18 in a 2 gal. size.

Also: if you have the right growing conditions, the Delphiniums should last a heck of a lot longer than two-to-three years. Of course, if you don't have the right conditions for them but still want to add them as glorified annuals/biennials, that's certainly your prerogative!

When I shared what I paid for my delphiniums, I assumed that someone would tout how much less they paid.

Sigh. I simply don't "know a guy" because I live on the coast of Maine is a small town with limited options.

And you're missing the point. The point is that all plants this side of a Joshua tree are ephemeral and a Flamethrower is peerless. I'm ephemeral too and I'm loving it as long as it endures or I endure.

How long is "a heck of a lot longer than two-to-three years?"

"How long is a heck of a lot longer than two-to-three years?"

I have some seed-grown New Milennium Delphiniums that have been in my garden for 7 or 8 years now, along with some of the less "showy" (but more forgiving) 'Belladonna' hybrids. I know some of the more skilled Delphinium growers across the pond have specimens that are even older still than that (perhaps Floral can confirm?)

"I simply don't "know a guy" because I live on the coast of Maine is a small town with limited options.""

Delphiniums are widely available (at reasonable prices) for mail-order from reputable sources, but I know that's not for everyone. If you really like them, they're also quite easy to start from seed!

That is a heck of a lot longer. Any tips for prolonging their lives?

I didn't know that they were easy to grow from seed. I'll try that. Thanks!

"Any tips for prolonging their lives?"

I'm no Delphinium expert, but giving them conditions they like is a good start: rich, moist, well-drained soil and cooler summer temperatures are a big plus. I don't know what your soil is like, but the coast of Maine should at least be a good spot for them weather-wise, as they definitely struggle in areas with serious summer heat/humidity.

Thank you, sah67. I think my Delphiniums are good to live long and prosper.

I cannot get delphinium to grow. I have tried four times and nothing, but failure. Tried from seed twice and from little potted plants twice. Dang! smh

I spoke to a professional gardener once and she shared that she'd lost a line of recently planted boxwoods.

"But you're an expert," I said.

"Everyone loses plants," she explained.

I remember that when I lose a plant.