Hi, 

It is planted too deeply.  You should see the trunk come straight down and flare out at the base so the roots can extend into the top of the soil, like the stem on a wine glass. You can try to carefully scrape off the soil and expose the root flare and then re-mulch by tapering it into the trunk but so that it is not touching the bark. 

The leaves look fine, a little bit of fungal leaf spot and or a tad drought stress is normal for this time of year. Both are minor though and don't require any treatment. Just monitor for watering needs. 

The bark sloughing off can be normal for older redbuds and the inner bark have a reddish color. However, redbuds can also be susceptible to a canker disease called Botryosphaeria which can occur due to drought symptoms. Keep an eye on the branches if you have some die back you can prune off that branch and look at the inner tissue. If it looks like it is dark it could be a sign of it. Trees can live for a while with the disease though, if you just try to alleviate any stress symptoms: water when needed, mulch appropriately, unbury the trunk etc. 

Let us know if you have further questions.  

Emily

Dear Emily:  Many thanks for your very helpful response.  We unburied the trunk three weeks ago, digging the soil out from around the trunk six inches down (carefully so as not to damage the bark).  I am including two pictures of the result -- one each from opposite sides of the tree -- and want to seek additional advice. 1. Do you think we have uncovered enough of the root flare, or do we need to dig deeper to further expose these roots or find others?  2. Should there be more large roots in the flare above ground for this type of tree?  3. We think we see girdling roots that are running parallel to the tree.  Do you agree these are girdling roots that should be removed?  Since the parallel roots do not seem to extend from the Redbud we are not sure if they are from the Redbud, but they are reddish in color so we think maybe they are.  4. Finally, I am also including a picture of the leaves which have started to curl inwards since we unearthed the root flare.  Do you think the curling is related to our work around the tree or something separate? Note:  we uncovered burlap and some what seems to be a metal carrying cage so this tree seems to have been planted wrapped in burlap.  Please do let us know what you think as we work to restore the health of this Redbud. Thank you very much.

1. Do you think we have uncovered enough of the root flare, or do we need to dig deeper to further expose these roots or find others? 

You can dig deeper and try to see where those roots are coming from. It looks strange at the angle they are growing.  It could be girdling or just growing in a different way. It doesn't really make sense that they are parallel to the trunk and not coming out from the trunk. 

2. Should there be more large roots in the flare above ground for this type of tree?

We don't see the flare of the trunk so we would recommend to keep going until you start to see the trunk flare out. 

 3. We think we see girdling roots that are running parallel to the tree. Do you agree these are girdling roots that should be removed? 

Its hard to say right now what is going on with these roots. You can supply water to the tree to help with the excavation.

 Since the parallel roots do not seem to extend from the Redbud we are not sure if they are from the Redbud, but they are reddish in color so we think maybe they are. - are there any other trees or large shrubs nearby? They are probably from the redbud if not. 

  4. Finally, I am also including a picture of the leaves which have started to curl inwards since we unearthed the root flare. Do you think the curling is related to our work around the tree or something separate? Have you been able to supplement watering this summer? 

The soil looks very dry and we had extreme heat and drought conditions this summer. The leaves are probably curling due to drought and this is common on redbud. If you water about once a week for a long soak through the fall, that will help with any roots that need to be removed or are cut or damaged in the excavation of the root ball. 

You can also take wire cutters and clip the top of the wire cage to help the roots to expand outward into the soil. They should be able to break through the burlap and eventually the burlap will decompose. 

You may want a hire a tree professional or certified arborist to examine the roots and see if they think they should be pruned to help with any future girdling. 

Helpful links to read more on root flare, watering trees and shrubs, and searching for a tree professional: 

Free the Flare

Watering Trees and Shrubs

Arborist

Tree Expert

Feel free to send back some further photos of the roots as you uncover more. 

Emily