Oh, it's in clay soil, has some mulch around the base, our soil tested slightly acidic but near neutral, and we've had a wet year, so it's not been through bad drought. Southwestern KY, Zone 6.

Richard.

Probably three different specimens planted close together to form a clump. Cut the dead trunk off near the ground.

Now you will have two trunks that will lean away from one another over time, to create a visual tension.

Instead of three.

Clump birches do not work unless part of a grove of birches, where shading from the other, single-trunk birches around the clump keeps the clump growing more erectly.

one would hope you have a warranty on trees purchased at that size ....this is the risk when buying large .... smaller trees transplant much more easily ....

i would contact the seller about warranty .. and accept something half the size if he is willing to split the risk with you ...

it is also possible the odd one out.. may still flush .. give it some more time ... transplanted trees can do weird things...

ken

Exercise your warranty. I'm not a fan of them so close together either, but nonetheless one tree shouldn't perish like that.

Dan

As bboy mentioned, it's common to find clump birches sold in garden stores that are multiple plants growing out of a container and those are problematic. Tree growers on the other hand don't normally do it this way though and you did say you bought it b&b so I have to ask. Do all the trunks come together at some point or do they all appear to have their own root systems? I know you already indicated that they "join" and there is already a new stem forming so I just want to clear that up. What is the caliper of the widest trunk at the widest point? 15' can still be a young plant that if a single stem can regrow an additional leader in the course of 2-3 years unless I am misunderstanding, it looks like you already have your new leader there. If so, cut off the dead stem and let the new one take its place. Wait until the tree leafs out so you are certain it's dead.

Hi:

Been really busy at times and was slow getting back to this post with photos. Earlier today I took some photos of the tree and its base. Here we go:

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The roughly 8 inch 'twig' coming off the base of the (presumably dead) trunk; guess that'll be the new 3'rd trunk!!!

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Once I plant a tree, I tend to get attached. I dug into the side of the trunk several feet up & didn't get any green/cambium layer; now I've got to wonder just how low on the trunk it's still alive.

Richard.

You should exercise your warranty if the main trunk isn't showing green.

Those are some very poor crotch angles so you just might be better off anyhow...can already see the included bark.

Warranty.

Dan

I have two river birches I bought as young saplings serveral years ago and they naturally developed into multi-trunk trees. I think they are Heritage. I had a conversation with an arborist about river birches and this was his take on these trees: 1) they should only be planted in the early to mid-spring - no fall planting, 2) they should be pruned in June, 3) they do not tolerate drought or alkaline soil, 4) they do better when planted as a group rather than a single specimen.

Felisa:

Good to know; thanks. Right now I'm letting that one kind of sit there; once I plant something I tend to get attached, so ripping it up or cutting it down would be hard to do, Guess I'll see how it turns out.

Richard.