Frost-damaged Beni Komachitoo far gone?

I read the recent thread on the sick Coral Bark with interest. My two-foot tall container Beni Komachi was apparently frost-damaged in our Cape Cod winter. ( Other JMs came through fine, but not this one.) There are little red leaves emerging very low on the trunk, but the branches look pretty brown and sad, and yes, about 1 inch above the cluster of leaves, each branch has the tell-tale grayish band that signals bad news. There IS a reddish cast to one of the taller branches, but this may be my wishful thinking.
Anyway, can this JM be saved, and is it worth it? I'm happy to baby it along, but I need some advice. I am a novice at all this. Thank you.
Emily

Here's a shot of the entire tree. I apologize for my camera, which doesn't have a good close-up lens.

Thanks again,
Emily

OK first...it's hard to tell butr it looks like your tree is alive above the graft at least the leaves look like a BK or a reverted BK. All above that is toast from what I can see it should probably be taken off above the growth area now be sure to disinfect your clippers afterwords since you may have a diseased plant ( from being weakened )..the freeze not the associated possible disease killled the top. If as I think you have growth above the graft your tree may make it ...#1 hopefully any disease won't travel down some of mine have #2 be VERY careful about your new growth i have botched two trees as such by barely touching that growth it poped off BE CAREFUL until it gets a bit of growth on it it is fragile!! #3 You may have a totally reverted tree My BK is alot bigger and survived the freeze well but the reversion was BAD meaning the leaves were larger and like it's ancester ( can't remember the tree off hand it is one known for phenominal spring color ...will check). The freeze did that to many reversion "tending" trees the original tree being a bit hardier it became dominate ...Whatever your tree may make it and if so whatever you have should be a nice tree although a mini me for a while David

This message was edited May 30, 2007 9:27 AM

Thank you, David. I will be VERY careful as you suggest, both in pruning and disinfecting, and in handling the new foliage. Should I also baby the "Mini Me" by keeping it completely out of any wind, etc., as was suggested in the case of a sick Coral Bark? My other JMs, two in the ground and six in containers, are in a good spot for morning sun and afternoon shade, but sometimes that ol' Cape Cod afternoon wind comes up--not talking about Nor'Easters, but the wind can toss the leaves quite a bit.
I appreciate so much your taking the time to help!
--Emily

The BK is supposedly or possibly a sport of the Shin deshojo ( lines over both "o's") and the reversion is to that type of leaf form...Beni komachi is a fine curly dark red leaved twiggy tree and it means "beautiful red haired little girl" As far as wind yes it may reak havock on the new growth I had one of mine be screwed up by wind that was mini me'd similar to yours from the freeze ..I'd baby it for a while...little wind and sun exposure. David

Thank you, David. I am so willing to help my little red-haired girl.
--
Emily

Good luck Emily. I hope that your tree makes it.

Thank you, Doss. I'm just glad that this thread gave me some hope of saving her!