probably died back to the ground ... not many facts to go on as to why ... though i wonder how a recent transplant outgrew specs ... did you fert at planting????

had one at the old house.. did it 3 years in a row ...

reduce to two shoots .. one on each side ... eventually.. will select the better of the two in a year or two ...

otherwise.. how about a picture ...

finally .... scoot_or_die .. is this a dog issue???? .. lol

ken

Yep, they are sprouting back from the roots.

Between being at work and all this rain here, I can't get any pictures. I didn't realize a tree could die and come back from the roots. It's not a dog issue. Even though he has (unsuccessfully) tried his best to kill my lilac, these two trees are in a part of the yard that he can't get to. I don't think I fertilized the trees when they were planted, but they are in pretty heavy clay, so I may have mixed in a little bagged compost or manure. I've seen pictures of eastern readbuds with both single and multi trunks, so should I just let nature take its course? Do you think it's safe to cut out the old dead leader, since it looks pretty wierd? Thanks for the help!

i meant was your name related to a dogs proclivity to.. well.. you know .......

if a tree is NOT grafted [and i doubt arborday would send you such] .... and the roots are not damaged.. most trees can resprout from below ... though in most cases this does not make us happy ...

if this is a plain old redbud ... i told you it is not uncommon ...

if it is one of the foo foo ones.. with variegated leaves .... what comes back may not be what you started with ...

on mine.. way back when.. i doubt i could have surgically removed the big dead part.. without knocking off the babes ...

presuming you wait long enough .... and are sure it will not releaf [in a month or two] .. cut it back to within a foot of the ground.. we will go back in a year or two.. and make a better cut .. but for right now.. preserve the babes ...

though arborday is a wonderful place to make a donation.. they are not well known for the plants they send.. check any watchdog site .... if you really want to get with the program ... go buy a nice tree from the bigboxstore and start with a better tree ...

if not.. wing it ...the bigger the roots get.. the faster the part above will grow ....

ken

ok ken, that's it...no pun intended but i am literally howling right now! lmao i am wheezing with laughter ... absolutely hysterial

The name is because I ride a scooter (Yamaha Vino 125) and am not very clever with names.
These trees were part of the "10 free flowering trees" I got with my membership last year. I only got them because they were free, and I won't be too heartbroken if they end up dying completely. Though, I would very much rather they survive and thrive. Of the ten, I only have the two eastern redbuds and a (very cruvy) sargent crabapple left. Two were dead from the start, and the rest were a snack for the local bunnies.
Actually, where I planted the trees isn't even my property. There is an unimproved ally next to my house that has been grass for at least 28 years. I've taken care of it for the three years I've lived in my house, and the previous owner took care of it for the 25 years he lived in it, so I could probably legally claim it as part of my property if I wanted to go through all the paperwork and pay taxes on it. But for now, I've talked to the borough, and they legally can't do anything to the space since it was never a developed road, and they said I can landscape it however I want. So rather than look at an empty space of just grass I'm putting in some flowers and trees. But just in case the borough changes its mind, I want to do it as cheaply as possible.