I received 3 paperbark maple 2.5 ft wips and a 3 inch volunteer in march. One leafed out at the end of april another and the volunteer june 5th, the last wip just got it's 1st 1st leaves.
I would wait.

Paul that is encouraging. I did forget to mention that the trunk not leafing yet is 5 feet tall and the other two trunks that are leafing are about 4-6 inches taller.

Will the 5 foot tall height make any difference in the probability that the non-leafed trunk will still survive untill it can grow enough roots to support leaves?

You probably spent alot of money on this tree. If the tree is at all disfigured or poorly proportioned due to the loss of the third trunk, I would return it for a replacement/refund. Another thing to consider is the health of the tree. Was the tree balled and burlapped or container grown when you purchased it? If balled and burlapped, it's possible the roots supporting the third trunk were removed when the tree was dug, resulting in the loss of the trunk. Otherwise, there is something else that has damaged the tree, which is a cause for concern. Good luck,

Dave

Dave, the tree was bare root when I purchased it, so it was less expensive than one might think.

Part of the problem may have been my fault. When I first potted the tree, I noticed that the potting soil took about 30 minutes to drain, but since the first two trunks' leaves did emerge and seemed healthy, I did not realize that I should change out the potting soil.

A month later when the third trunk did not produce leaves also, I decided to repot the entire tree in better draining potting soil. During the repotting, I was surprised to see that the trunks roots were not connected, and the soil smelled a little sour.

So I got a new pot, rinsed the roots and soaked them in a solution to rid them of any fungus. Then repotted them in better draining potting soil.

At that time I noticed exactly what you mentioned. There was only one long root growing from the trunk that now only has a few buds. That root had one small, about 4 inch long complex of feeder roots growing out near the top of the thicker single root.

Once the entire tree was repotted I gave the tree the recommended amount of root stimulater, and the leafed out trunks stayed green and healthy looking even after such a disruptive procedure. All the described repotting procedure occurred about 4 weeks ago.

The non-leaf trunk is still alive and has produced more buds since then, but none of them have leafed out yet.

I would really like to keep the tree because, a month ago the nursery had only one multi-trunk left that was about 2 feet shorter than mine. If they have not sold that tree yet, I would not want to trade trees with them and have them end up with the taller tree that they manage to get the third trunk leaves to emerge. I also am a little concerned about transporting either of the mentioned trees now that the Summmer heat is here.

So I would really love it if someone had advice on how I can get the trunk to grow more roots that could support the leaves it produces from the buds.

Currently I have the tree on the east side of my house, would it be better if I moved it under a tree where it gets light shade for the entire day? Would that harm the trunks that are leafed out already?

I am wondering if, now that it is summer, if the hot morning sun will be too hard on the buds of the trunk, which currently has no leaves.

Hi Katrina,

Just wanted to tell you to be patient w/your paperbark! I planted a single trunk PB last spring which did great until July when the leaves developed severe scorch literally overnight. Most of the leaves dropped and several branches had die-back. It never releafed last yr., and there were only a few (very few) live buds in the fall. I was bummed, to say the least, but continued to water it deeply and hoped for the best. Spring came and still no new buds or leafs (the few live buds from last fall appeared dead at this point). Even though a scratch test still showed green under the bark I pretty much thought it was a goner. Lo and behold one day in late April I walked past it and had to do a double take! Buds had formed out of nowhere all along the naked branches. It is now leafed out and doing well, although it looks a bit strange w/only 2 main branches since all the minor branches croaked. Moral of the story, don't give up on it! I, personally, wouldn't move yours at this point. Continue to water deeply during periods of no rain and hope for the best. Good luck!

Thanks Crista, that was very encouraging to hear. I know you must be very happy to see your "baby" pull through. At least that is how I feel about mine since I have watched over it so intently.

Since my tree was purchased to be planted at my daughter's house this fall, I decided it would not be ready. Instead a few days ago I went back to the nursery and purchased another one of their last two. That tree is taller, and all three trunks are leafed out. I feel confident it will look nice at my daughter's home.

If things turn out as good for me with my first tree as they did for your tree, I will be very happy to have it to plant in my yard.

Thanks again for the encouragement, and I will not give up on my struggling tree.