Goldenraintree is a tough cookie. Any tree being transplanted may seem to reverse in its health. I would say, 5 days is .0001% of the tree's lives - don't do anything except treat them normally for a couple of months and see what happens. Don't do any pruning until you are sure that branch tips are dead - again in two months or so.
One other thing - they like NORMAL water, not excessive water especially if you are in heavy or clay soil. Don't over-love them. Peace! Wait and see...

Have you watered since planting? You need to water frequently when establishing trees.

My follow up that I posted 10 min ago isn't showing so I'll try again. :)

I watered each sapling 5 gallons 5 days ago and watered around 1 gallons to each today since it was only 5 days since. I read that you are supposed to water them 5 gallons a week for the first year. Plus we had rain 2 days since planting the tree.

I just dont know if the tree has gone dormant or if it died. I wouldnt normally be worrying but the tree arrived with lovely pink buds. It's their appearance and subsequent disappearance that has me darn near frantic. I care about the trees a great deal.

Careful with overwatering since they aren't leafed out and you have had two days of rain. We bought a large London Plane tree last year and the nursery guys planted it in mid july, how dumb is that? It was fine for the first ten days then every leaf fell off of it. I was mighty bummed, but it did releaf. I only watered this large tree twice a week throughout the summer, and only if we had no rain. If you gave them a good drench when planted and have already had two more rains....hold off on the water a bit. You could be killing them with kindness.
I LOVE Goldenrain trees. Good luck with your babies and talk to them!

Watering too little can kill a newly planted tree as quickly as watering too much. Check the soil for moisture at a couple of inches deep to determine when the tree needs to be watered.

I hope your trees live. It does seem you did everything right (except checking Garden Watchdog before buying). Now it's up to your trees. There's no telling what kind of treatment your trees received before you got them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nature Hills Nursery Review (not good)

your trees should have been rec'd TOTALLY DORMANT ....

once you received them already budded out.. the odds were against you ...

you most likely did not harden them off to sunlight ... and burnt the leaves to a crisp ...

and perhaps they were not ready for some low night temps ...

proper planting time for z5.. was ground thaw thru about tax day.. and your plants should have been shipped then ...

though now is within the realm of OK .. frankly its way past time..

contact your seller.. and indicate said failure.. and indicate that you expect replacement at proper planting time around 10/15 ...

then leave these were they are.. and dont be surprised if they dont reflush and grow ...

go figure on that.. lol

good luck

ken

Good catch Ken. That sounds like a likely scenario.

Whether they come back is anyone's guess. Patience. Nonetheless, there is no reason to get goldenrain online. Surely there is a nursery within decent driving distance that carries them.

Dan

i have found.. that most frost affected trees can re-leaf at least once or so ... dormant buds and all that ...

whether or not a recent transplant has the energy to do that is the next question ...

thx don

ken

Hi everyone! Just wanted to give everyone an update. Both Raintrees look great! They are doing really well and look positively lovely. I am so glad that since they weren't dormant when we got them that we didnt lose them, but of all the trees we've planted they are the ones that didn't suffer any transplant shock. Go figure. Both of my October Glorys and Red Rocket Maple seem to be coming around after 2 weeks of transplant shock.

Thanks again for everyone's advice. I was told for my area it is literally impossible to over water because our soil is so rocky. I for sure have noticed that when I water absolutely no water sits on top. When I pour water the water goes straight down. It only sits on top for about 5 seconds. Talk about drainage!

Sounds like your trees might not have been hardened off when you first planted them, so it is very good that they releafed and have continued to do well.

You might benefit from installing a soaker hose around your not yet well established trees. Only, still use the method posted above of checking the moistness of the first two inches of soil, and stop watering before the soil ever becomes too saturated.

Since your soil is so well draining, check the soil's moisture levels daily. Whenever the soil feels dry two inches down make certain to water. Monitor the soil this way regularly and do not begin decreasing your efforts until your trees become well established, do this even in the Fall and winter during anytime that the soil is not frozen.

Only alter such a practice, during the time that the trees have dropped their leaves. At those times,work toward preventing the soil from drying completely and then try to maintain the soil at only a very, slightly moist level.