That's good to know although Autumn Blaze is a zone 3, Autumn Moon is a Zone 5 (allegedly!) I took some pics of my leaf damage if this is helpful to speculate on future season: The sourwood is like that on every terminal leaf cluster including leader. A couple of 1" lateral buds closer to the trunk look okay, but there are only a few. The tree doesn't have a lot of branching and leafing yet anyhow. a babe. I was thrilled last spring when it made it through its first winter. I knew they can be finicky to get established.

Karen, Are you interested in swapping any plants? I would love to try growing some (or one) of your full moon seedlings. I don't have any JM seedlings, but have some sugar maples as well as lots of hostas, ornamental grasses and various perennials to trade.

Thanks Jacqout and Muckmire, I checked out Vertrees from the library yesterday (they only had the 2nd ed., though) and found a photo, but it's just of the leaves. It's hard to find pictures of this tree. I've only seen the leaves! Found the tree at WorldPlants. Seems like a good price. I have to decide what I'm getting. I am considering several Maples--palmatums (less hardy, it seems, so maybe won't get) and japonicums. It has to be something small and hardy and not too bush-like. Christina

pruning.. done right ... is a personal preference .. and really has nothing to do with a trees natural shape ... in fact ... the best pruners prune like crazy ... and you never know.. because it ends up in a natural shape .... and if you put it right there by the path ... it will be easy to prune.. and right in your face.. whenever you walk by ... i agree with gal ... no pruning for a couple years ... a tree should have a root mass 2 to 3 times what you see above ,.. and a BB had 95% of that cut off .. to get it to your house ... every leaf is a food making machine... so leaving as much of the canopy as you can.. for as long as you can .. will allow it to regrow that root mass .... try to think in tree time which is decades .. rather than or instant gratification world of.. i want to start cutting on it next season for instant impact ... you said : This tree is starting to send up some healthy shoots from about 8-10 inches from the base, and if I let them grow, they will probably grow into stems. ===>> i am guessing you mean multiple trunks ... again .. that would be a personal choice as to your 10 year pruning goals ... if too many are left to grow.. it will probably look like a shrub for quite a few years ... but then eventually .... you could start raising the canopy on each trunk and end up with a pretty cool multi-trunked plant... if you have the patience to wait for your goal ... HOWEVER ... if you ever see shoots down low.. that have a different leaf .. get rid of those asap ... they would be coming from below the graft ... from the root stock ... and are never preferred to the plant you paid money for.. above the graft .... see link on dealing with clay soil .... have you ever perked your soil to determine drainage???? .. clay soil is mostly a transplanting issue ... and once the tree gets itself situated.. ESTABLISHED ... its not really a problem ... it boils down to you knowing enough about your soils drainage capacity.. so you can water it properly .. without drowning it .. before it gets itself free range ... i say.. if it will make you happy.. to put it by the path.. then make yourself happy .. lifes too short ... ken https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub