Korean fir, buds

Hi,

I've had this Korean fir, Abies koreana, for 2 years and it has surprised me this winter by setting buds far back on older branches and I'm thinking about taking advantage of this by cutting back to them. I'm just not sure they're not flower buds. Anyone please, take a look at these pictures and let me know your opinion, flower or leaf-buds?

Pic one, terminal bud:


Pic two, possible flower bud:


Pic three, probably not flower buds:


If this is backbudding I feel very lucky but since I've had so much bad luck with my trees lately I'm not really ready to believe what I see. Do you all think it's safe to cut back to these buds?

Ingvar Nilsson wrote:Hi,

I've had this Korean fir, Abies koreana, for 2 years and it has surprised me this winter by setting buds far back on older branches and I'm thinking about taking advantage of this by cutting back to them. I'm just not sure they're not flower buds. Anyone please, take a look at these pictures and let me know your opinion, flower or leaf-buds?

Pic one, terminal bud:


Pic two, possible flower bud:


Pic three, probably not flower buds:


If this is backbudding I feel very lucky but since I've had so much bad luck with my trees lately I'm not really ready to believe what I see. Do you all think it's safe to cut back to these buds?

I have no experience with this species so cannot say with certainty if they are vegetative or reproductive buds. Given the early time in the season and the colouring of the buds, I would guess reproductive.

That being said, if they are vegetative buds, don't cut back until they are growing strongly. Removing the terminal growth will slow the sapflow to the young buds and, even if the buds do survive, they will develop slower than if you had left some growth on the ends. Once they have opened up and extended later this season, you can safely prune back. This is a general rule that can be applied to most backbudding conifers... yews, spruce, pines, hemlock, etc.

So just wait til they open up. If you discover that they are cones, remove them.

Cheers

www.LakeshoreBonsai.wordpress.com

Thanks! That makes sense. I was thinking pruning early would send more energy to the inner buds but your advice Is reassuring. When it's time to prune I will know what bus I've got.

Update:
Turns out they were all needle buds! Awesome! I'm getting back budding all over this tree!