Uses: I would say a primary use for the first technique, would be to disorient your opponent. The petals working around them will begin to enduce them in a sleep. Like all genjutsu the window opprotunity to use this is if one is hidden within a close range and while they are dealing with that technique you have ample time to follow up with another jutsu to actually cause harm to them. With the sleeping agent of this technique even after it was release the shinobi may still feel faint after the technique. With the second technique, it would be better if a shadow clone were to preform the technique, in case the opponet does break out and retaliate, they only hit the clone if it's successful.Good! now, creative uses for these techniques? And what about limitations and counters? ^^
A great combination I could see for this jutsu would be, to create a shadow clone and then use this jutsu, while my shadow clone or myself (I'm not sure what level of techniques shadow clones can use) follows up with another technique. A complimenting technique would be the hidden mist jutsu, if I could create my clone covertly or if I had a sensor type shinobi (or jutsu) I could use this jutsu while in the mist and my opponent won't know my location while I use another attack. The same idea could be used for the tree binding death.
Limitations: Both jutsu are short range in their use so that means one would have to be close to use this technique...one would also have to remain close to the jutsu to be active correct? So if that's the case short range jutsu would be the only option and the user risks their opponent breaking free. Counter's to the jutsu would be same as for any genjutsu (this level and below) Kai, physical pain, chakra funnle from comrade (most likely a clone or a summon). Also if a shinobi has a clone out there, which is hidden the clone will be unaffected by the affects of the jutsu and roam free and can still attack one's opponent, so long as the sleeper agent of the first jutsu doesn't happen, rendering the shinobi unconscious or the user doesn't stab them the real shinobi in the process of tree binding. However without the user of the jutsu being able to stab the shinobi, the only thing the tree binding death jutsu does is bind them to a tree. If something is preventing the user of the jutsu from stabbing the shinobi bound to the tree then the jutsu is only good for dinding somebody but all that time would leave them room to get out of it. The jutsu has no consequence without the final action. The first jutsu places one's opponet in an unconscious state so that's the consequcne but for the tree binding the consequcne is the final blow.