What happens if one wires the branch in a way that all leaves are upside down?

[Clicio]

Title says it all.
When a tree is not a conifer, will the leaves eventually turn their top side up to reach for the light by themselves?
I am trying NOT to twist the wire alongside the lenght of those branches.

 

[leatherback]

The leave might succumb.

For many species, the bottom of the leave is spotted with stomata for breathing. Putting that in sun will let them dry out. Also, the cells are better protected with a waxy coat.

So.. worst case.. They dry out, fall off and the tree needs to re-sprout.

Species-dependent they might flip around.

 

[JudyB]

I do it all the time, and have not really watched to determine if indeed they turn, but I've not seen upside down leaves on the branches that I've done this to for very long. So my guess would be that they will turn up to the light.

 

[Clicio]

Putting that in sun will let them dry out.

Species-dependent they might flip around.

Interesting.
I wonder if I leave the tree in the shade for a couple of days and check if they flipped over? Might be safer I guess.

 

[MrWunderful]

They catch on fire!

 

[Clicio]

So my guess would be that they will turn up to the light.

Thanks Judy, I guess it means in your species the leaves didn't dry out and die, am I right?
Well, if a long shoot of a bougie, for instance, grows towards the opposite side of the design, if turned to the desired side it can end up being upside down. If I twist the wire, like I would do on a juniper, the shoot breaks. So upside down it is set .

 

[leatherback]

Might be also related to what you do afterwards. Mine go back to where they were..

 

[Clicio]

Might be also related to what you do afterwards. Mine go back to where they were..

Thanks @leatherback , I will surely let everyone know the results.
But I will try the shade for a while, then out to the full sun if the leaves have flipped over.

 

[Dav4]

I've seen leaves attempt to re-orient themselves to the position of the sun when branches have been repositioned during the growing season, though I can't say I've ever seen what happens if the branch has been twisted 180 degrees/ upside down... honestly, I'd suspect I would hear a decidedly loud "snap!" before ever getting the branch into that position, and the future of the leaves becomes a moot point .

 

[Clicio]

180 degrees/ upside down... honestly, I'd suspect I would hear a decidedly loud "snap!"

Well, bougainvilleas surely might be the exception as it is easy to do it with young long shoots. I am not arguing the matter at all, but I have just done that and they didn't snap.

 

[Dav4]

Well, bougainvilleas surely might be the exception as it is easy to do it with young long shoots. I am not arguing the matter at all, but I have just done that and they didn't snap.

That makes sense, as vines are less woody then, say, a maple, and are more likely to survive aggressive twisting. Good luck with it!.

 

[Vali]

I airlayered a prunus branch growing downwards, so all the leaves were upside down. After separation it dropped most of the leaves, but in the spring it grew normally. I am sure that happened because of the separation

 

[JudyB]

Thanks Judy, I guess it means in your species the leaves didn't dry out and die, am I right?
Well, if a long shoot of a bougie, for instance, grows towards the opposite side of the design, if turned to the desired side it can end up being upside down. If I twist the wire, like I would do on a juniper, the shoot breaks. So upside down it is set .

No they didn't dry out or die, so they must have reoriented. I know I've manipulated maples and hornbeams in this manner.

@Dav4 , the bend wasn't all in the same spot, half a turn in one spot then half a turn a few inches away... so can be done safely. I use these types of bends to get tons of interesting movement in early development.

 

[sorce]

They say Thuja dies.

No worries eh!?

Sorce

 

[Hartinez]

They say Thuja dies.

No worries eh!?

Sorce

That’s interesting sorce, because I’ve done this on a few thuja, with significant die back. I have done it on several elms And junipers without much issue at all.

 

[leatherback]

Could it be a difference between evergreens and deciduous? Or fast and slow species?

 

[Hartinez]

Could it be a difference between evergreens and deciduous? Or fast and slow species?

I’d guess it’s a species to species difference. I’ve flipped foliage on multiple different junipers without any issue.

 

[HorseloverFat]

They say Thuja dies.

I can confirm.

 

[Clicio]

sorce said:
They say Thuja dies.

So they say.
But...
Who are they?

I can confirm.

Aha, @HorseloverFat is they.
Tell us more, you did try and your thuja died, or the branch died, or the leaves died?
Now I am a little concerned about my wiring!

 

[leatherback]

Now I am a little concerned about my wiring!

You should be. Redo better! Learn. Get better!