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We've had a fairly mild winter here in Central Florida (9b), only having maybe 10-20 or so nights so far this winter that dropped into the low 40s and only ever a couple nights at a time. My Trident Maple doesn't seem to have gotten enough to really go dormant. It's now the beginning of February and I'm wondering if I actually should defoliate the tree now and give it at least a slight period of rest before going into spring

I don't have a great picture right now as I write this, but you can see it in the middle and this lighting actually helps show the foliage level it has. It was fully defoliated last September in an attempt to combat a fungus issue (along with fungicide).




It recovered decently enough and has been basically not doing anything at all since then. I figured with a defoliation now, it might let it rest a little and at least prepare it for a whole new growth in the spring and get rid of these old, somewhat damaged leaves. Is that a good plan or at this point should I just let it ride out the rest of our "winter" ? I think it should be about time to do hard prunes as well, right? That would remove a large portion of leaves as I want to cut back and shape through pruning.

Lawlcat wrote: I figured with a defoliation now,...hard prunes as well, right?

I wouldn't do it at all.
You had it defoliated last September after a fungal issue, if you do anything at all to this weak plant that is trying to recover, you will probably kill it.
BUT... That's just my humble advice. I am at zone 10b myself.

Morten Albek has given the advice for us in Denmark, to defoliate trees that still has their leaves from last year, due to the mild winter. We did that over a month ago. But remember to only defoliate healthy trees.

Hansen wrote: Morten Albek has given the advice for us in Denmark, to defoliate trees that still has leaves from last year. We did that over a month ago. But remember to only defoliate healthy trees.

Hansen, you are in Denmark.
The OP is in Florida.
Probably his tree is not dormant.

Some of our trees aren't dormant either. That's why Albek told us to defoliate the trees to give them a period of rest. But that was over a month ago.
I can't tell what OP should do. I can only say what we do with our trees, that aren't dormant.

Hansen, your advice is very dangerous for the health of the op's tree.
I won't reply or post on this thread anymore, my suggestion is already stated above.

Omg didn't you read what I just writed?
I said what we do in Denmark and I said that I can't tell what OP should do. I didn't gave him advice, I just told what we do in Denmark. Take it easy cowboy and try read what I write.
Very mature to attack me and then run away from then thread without letting me defend myself.

On the subject of defoliation, I have a cherry tree out side that has quite a few leaves still on from last year. The crazy weather we have has made some trees bud out already, but this one is way behind schedule.
Would it be a good idea to defoliate now? Would that force it into dormancy? Would that have been a good idea in December but not now?
I dug this one up last spring and it has been sitting in a big nursery pot with dirt from the forest. If I get time this spring I might do something with it, but I think another year would be better.

I do not understand the logic of wanting trees to go dormant in Februari, to be honest.

If they're not dormant, what I expect it will do is the tree wanting to make new leaves and waste its energy.

Auk wrote: If they're not dormant, what I expect it will do is the tree wanting to make new leaves and waste its energy.

On the other hand... it would be growing new leaves anyway.

However, would it not force the tree to grow these new leaves to soon?