Next Year's Growth.

Yes; I'm obsessed with this tree !

On Nov. 18 2006 I took this close up of the main stem on my Empress Tree; it shows the details of the abscission layer where one of those elephant-ear-sized leaves was connected to the main stem/trunk. My finger points at this indentation.

Above the abscission layer you can see the tiny meristem; it has three 'bumps' inside the little raised 'chevron' shape. This will give rise to a huge new branch next spring.