Question
Hello. If there is one thing that ticks me off when I order trees from online, is the pruning. Recently I bought a 4-5 ft Scarlet Red Maple from the internet. I was happy. However, when I received the tree "bur-lapped", all I got was a 4 foot "stick". At the top of the trunk was a small "V crotch" branch that didn't extend no more than 4 inches from the top of the trunk. And there is one small little branch that extends about 8 inches from the side of the tree. My question is this, will the tree grow all its branches back? Or will it stay like that forever? By the way, the diameter of the trunk is a good 1 inch. Maybe I still need to do some research. I just can't figure out how the branch will grow back from a 1/2 inch cut. Thanks.

Answer
The tree will do find. Hardwood trees especially young trees have buds along the stem. These will sprout and form the branches. Most of the growth of a young tree is from the top and if the bud is still on the top this will grow and form new branches. You more than likely will not have branches down to the ground but most of them will be nearer the top of the tree. That is ok since over time you will more than likely prune these lower branches off anyway. Some hardwoods are proprogate by cutting the end of a branch and just sticking this "stick" into the ground and it will sprout roots and foliage --willow trees are an example.
Plant the tree in a hole that is twice the size of the root ball and as deep and fill with good top soil and mulch around the tree with not more than 3 inches deep of organic mulch not piled up on the trunk. Of course take the burlap off the roots before the tree is planted. The tree should be ok.