Chinese Toon - overwintering, pruning

Does anyone have experience growing Chinese toon tree in zone 5b or colder? Can it survive without protection? I’m in the US Midwest and growing it from seed then transplanting it outdoors.

Also, what is the best way you’ve found to prune it, for easy access to the leaves and shoots? I’m between coppicing it to the ground and growing it as a shrub, or pollarding it.

Thank you!

Limited experience here. I think you may be a little outside the hardiness zone for Toon there Faustina. According to pfaf they are suitable for zones 6 to 11:

The fully dormant tree is hardy to about -25°c, though the young growth in spring can be damaged by late frosts.

Plant them out in late spring or early summer and consider giving them some protection from the cold in their first winter outdoors.

They are supposed to coppice well, so an established tree may resprout from the base if damaged by frosts.

Mine hasn't thrived here, although it seems to overwinter OK (mild and wet) I think it would prefer a warmer summer to put on more growth. I did transplant mine to a slightly sunnier spot and it did seem a bit happier this summer. I haven't tried pruning mine at all yet.

My suggestion would be to let yours get to a reasonable size before trying to overwinter outside. If you have more than one plant, maybe cut one right back and mulch it well before winter as I think that would give it the best chance of suvival. Pollarding would give sprouts at a handier height, but you're more likely to lose the trunk in a hard winter.

I'm officially in zone 5a and I planted out a block of seeds.  For a good many years they died back somewhat and then grew back stronger year after year while continuing to die back a bit.  Last year they did not die back at all and grew over my head.  Weather?  Didn't seem like it was an easier winter. Trees gaining enough strength?  Not sure.  

I'm waiting for spring to see if they are done with dying back or not.  If they don't have any die back then I'll harvest their new growth as I pollard them to 4'.  I like the idea of training them at a convenient harvesting height.

They do just fine in Kentucky zone 6.  They can tolerate part shade.

We've cut them down and they readily resprout, so prune it however you'd like.  I think the cold won't be a problem if they're not out in the open, if it does kill them, do the world a favor and buy more seed