because it is going to take me quite a while to figure out what to do about this ...

It's hard to see, but three little plants sprouted out of the root.

Prediction: this time next year, I still won't have decided. I am glad it lived though! (Brief recap: a squirrel or other pest chewed all the bark off my little F religiosa, then bisected it entirely. Unless the wind did it. Then I sprouted the top, and it was a delightful little plant ... but then it died bc it was in Napa and I waited just a little too long to water it. Which I should have known would happen, but didn't. But luckily these had sprouted from the roots.) I really liked it when it was just one tree. Not sure I am up to this kind of surgery. So good thing it is the wrong time of year for that.