My Arnold Promise died back after the polar vortex years of '14 and '15. This past winter was cold enough (around -15 or -16) to kill all the flower buds, but it's leafing out fine.

Still no buds or leaves. There is some live green coming from the roots but this may be rootstock. Scratch test of trunk still green. Thoughts?

What happened to the buds forming on the branches? If they died, the scion wood is probably a lost cause and you will end up with a different tree if anything survives. That's assuming that the new growth is indeed from the rootstock. My inclination would be to remove all suckers and keep hoping for a miracle.

I thought they were buds but I was mistaken. I took most of the top off since it was dead but the trunk, a good two feet is still green. I guess only time will tell.

Update: so I sent my presumed dead plant to the recovery area I have for plants I think might have died; it’s looking great and about 6 inches now.
Hopefully this will be the original, not from a root stock.

You should be able to tell by looking at the base of the specimen and looking at the leaves of the sprouts, those of H. virginiana are visibly different from H. x intermedia.

Ahh, did not realize that. Well, in either case I get a witch hazel :). Will look today.

I think this is Arnold. I have a Virginiana and the leaves are smoother.