Looks like death in a pot. They must have been in a 4” pot for way too long.

tj

Some of the worst I've seen. Why would they sell them like that?

I can't believe they even grew, with those squished roots.

My spouse bought these for me knowing that I was after this particular cultivar.

Although the nursery gave a refund after some coercing the nursery still released all the stock for sale. That's not cool at all.

The rootstock was in a 2" x 3" cell.

Aw heck! No problem for Will to pull off his magic on these and end up with something out of nothing. Right?

Ha! These where too terrible to invest in so they ended up in the tree line as organic matter!

What it it? Acer truncatum?

I'm crushed whaas. ;-)

I agree -- too far gone. Retched propagation by the nursery.

yep: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/1588346/new-warning-about-circling-roots-in-container-stock