'Coralcole' not very inspiring out of bloom, with some leaf disease problems in addition to the foliage being dull-looking. Am seeing spots on opening leaves of 'Lollizam' at outlets here also - scab (if that's what it is) is prevalent in my area, if a cultivar is not resistant it is liable to be a bust. The "zam" in 'Lollizam' (Lollipop is a selling name) is from Zampini of Lake County [wholesale only] Nursery, Perry, OH. They have a whole series of dwarf flowering crabapple trees. Although 'Lollizam' is all I am noticing at outlets here, maybe another one of their introductions is on the retail market back there - or will be next year.

If they are available to you, Red Baron, Saturn, Double Delight (first two peaches, latter nectarine) have huge, showy double blossoms AND they bear delicious fruit. You can keep them pruned to whatever size you want. (I grow Red Baron and Saturn - gorgeous display of red and pink flowers.) A friend of mine had the peppermint flowered ornamental peach, red, white and pink - just amazing in full bloom. I have only one crabapple and it's a fruiting one, it flowers like mad and the fruits hang on and are very ornamental as well (edible too). Sugar Tyme I believe is one of the best. You might also look into Prunus mume - small trees that bloom very early on bare branches, come in different colors red, pink, white and are fragrant and worshipped by Japanese artists for centuries. They also fruit and you can make "plum wine" from the fruit (fruit, sugar and vodka in a canning jar, let steep for 6 - 12 months) yummy! There are weeping ones too. It's hard to choose just one, good luck with whichever you choose.

You are correct in thinking that the plant finds it difficult to recover its foliage after a devastating loss PLUS devote energy to flower production. Woody plants, if allowed to react normally to such loss will allocate their carbon resources to the most essential need. We know that plants manufacture all of their own food in the leaves. If the leaves are removed for any reason, the plant will remetabolize stored reserves in order to grow more leaves. This is an annual and expected event with deciduous plants....they are programmed to begin storing energy, mostly in the roots, in the early fall. That's what gives them the carbon reserves to begin growing in the spring. Citrus and other evergreens aren't really genetically set up for massive defoliation and it can be very stressful. They can only do so much....and if left to their own devices will establish the best priories. We interrupt this process by heavy pruning or excess fertilization. Does all of this make sense? Your job is to allow your plant to recover at its own pace. Do not think of fertilizer as medicine. It should be used only if needed and very conservatively. If the tree flowers and produces fruit, great! It will have done so because it could...it was allowed to. We support the growth and development of our trees but we want them to achieve normal growth, not accelerated growth. So, don't be discouraged if you miss a year of production. Your tree will eventually "take care of business ". By the way, your tree may be very susceptible to pest attacks after a defoliation. Natural pest resistance also takes carbon resources that the plant just doesn't have. Watch out for spider mites and scale.

I pruned my Kouza dogwood over the course of its first 4 years (or so) to open up the interior and remove any crossing branches. This pruning created a well shaped tree, now 20 years later. Yes, remove the lower branches so it is not bushy, if you do not want bushy. Also, envision what it will look like as it matures with the branches you have and want to keep. Remember not to remove more than 20% or the branches in any given year so as not to stress the tree. There are good resources on "young tree training/pruning" which illustrate where to make pruning cuts, shaping a tree properly. Also, prune your tree for the location (such as removing branches which may grow to touch the house).