yes and yes

here's the other side. now i'm worried that it looks like one big root is attached to that trunk.

and another angle

after further inspection, it seems that I have one trunk growing in and around another trunk. there's probably a word for this. it looks like a double helix spiral from the top.
those two roots closest to the trunk in the first picture look like the prime candidates for pruning.

so now I'm trying to find pictures of the trunk on the internet and all I keep finding are pictures of the flowers (lol)

yes .. and not right now ...

how big is this thing...

what does the seller say about it ...

its in shock from your planting.. this really isnt a time to truncate one of those.. and kill perhaps half the root mass ... if you get my drift ...

thing thing has been this way a long time.. i dont see where there is any hurry to do this..

perhaps in a year or two.. when its all settled in .. go for it ...

but i dont know why you dont return it ... crikey man.. you just paid good money for it.. why do you need to put up with this nonsense...

talk to your seller.. offer to link him to your pix here .. see what they have to say .... i would be embarrassed if this were my stock ...

ken

ps: if the nursery is near.. check and see if all these plants are just as bad.. he might have a wholesaler problem ....

"I just planted this a month ago..."

Return for refund or replacement immidiately. If a replacement is sought, do as instructed above and inspect the potential replacement before taking it home. Wait to plant the replacement this fall and make sure to water it regularly this summer in its pot.

ok will find out tomorrow. thanks.

Yes, make certain they will either replace with a healthy specimen or will refund $$ so that you can obtain a structurally sound tree elsewhere.