A question for warm climates, probably Clicio?

For the last couple of weeks the temperatures have been over 100F/38C and leaves have been falling off all the trees in the yard and the woods. This happens every year about mid August, and in a couple of weeks when it rains again they will all start sprouting leaves again.

I just watched a guy cut about 4/5 of the branches and foliage off of an azalea. He said they go dormant now and will have another growth spell and do fine. Is he dreaming? Would it work to do root work now?

I don't think this is a northern Europe phenomenon. Clicio and others - does this happen in hot climates?

He is dreaming!! Sounds very dodgy to me, and I would not do that on a tree that cost me nothing.

You are right. In NW Europe this is omething you do right after flowering, so may, june.
My azaleas are still growing but the first buds can be seen here and there.

The leaves on the trees in the woods will start changing in early November or so there are ten weeks before what we call autumn, so there is time for a growing season, but only a short one. But, that is what he said. Most bonsai people live where there is a real winter so we sort of have to adjust dates and things. This is the first time I have heard of two dormant seasons.

Well.. summer dormancy is even a thing in cooler climates. Which is why people can, and do, repot in summer. Here the trees just do not nrmally drop their leaves (Although this ear the streets have many near-bare trees because of the summer drought)

Right now most of the yards here are covered with leaves. I have a dogwood that always looks like it has died right about now, but then comes back to life in September. We get used to it.

My guess is leaves falling off does not mean the roots are ready to start a huge growth spurt so I think it would be highly optimistic to start chopping. If I had a hundred of a species I might give it a try on half, just to see what happened. I don't, so I won't.

Summer dormancy is a fact.
In the tropics as the growing season can be very long indeed, by high-summer many species stop growing and others lose their leaves. Quite natural, as after the peak of the summer, there is time for a second strong flush of growth before our "winter".
I defoliate my Ficus, Adenium, Elms, all by the end of the summer and... They love it.
But the Northern Hemisphere is completely different, some countries with short summers, long winters...

Yes two growing seasons spring and autimn and two dormant seasons winter and summer.

Autumn growth focuses more on vascular growth.