If it is really hot, then watering, and spraying the leaves, every day may well be necessary. If you haven't mulched, then do so, as widely as possible, no deeper than 4" and no mulch in the 2-3" next to the trunk(s) - this will help keep the roots cooler and moister. Check the soil in the root ball, and water deeply whenever it seems dry, which may be daily. As the weather cools off, you can probably start to stretch the waterings out to a few times a week, and then as needed, and can shift the area of soil you are checking for moisture to the soil next to the root ball. Don't water on a rigid schedule, but according to the soil dryness. Water generously enough that the entire root ball is wet, top to bottom.

Since one of the responses of river birch to dryness/stress is droppping leaves, it is not something to be too panicked over. Since this happened immediately, unless you had the trees sitting in the hot sun for a few days between bringing them home and planting them, and didn't water the pots/root balls as they needed, it would appear that it is happening either to something done/not done in the nursery or else if the trees were transported to you from the nursery in an open truck, uncovered, and got wind burned. If they came directly from the nursery and were planted at once, I would give the nursery a heads-up that there seems to be a problem. I assume you got a year's guarantee, so keep the receipt handy, and exercise it if the trees either die over the rest of the year, or don't come back to your satisfaction in the spring.

Birches CAN come back from a halfway decent root system, so if these can grow enough roots over the next 6-9 months, you may well get new shoots growing from the roots. It's up to you if you are willing to let these grow up and become new trees or if you want the size tree(s) you purchased in that spot next year. If the roots are good, root-sprout shoots will grow quite fast, so you won't be out too much time. They may not LOOK like the trees you bought however, and you may have to do some trimming and pruning, as well as waiting for growth to get them back to the heighht you bought thaea at.

Neighbors installed two good sized ones and they completed "died". The next spring they sent up vigorous shoots from the base and now, several years later, the trees are beautiful.

Where did you purchase the trees and how did you get them home? Trees in the back of a pickup or hanging out a car window going 70mph will severly burn the leaves of trees. You plant the trees and wonder why the leaves wither. Also, hope you didn't plant them too deeply. Need to be able to see the root flare.

The trees' branches were tied up and loaded into my SUV--totally enclosed the whole time. My tree with yellow leaves appears to be hanging in there. The one with the dead leaves looks bad, even though about 1/3 of the leaves are still green. Both trees had been at the nursery all summer and had rooted from their pots into the ground. My guess is that they are both experiencing extreme shock at the entire process.

Texasredhead, what if I water them on a daily basis during my heat wave? Like 1 hour with a slowly flowing hose at the base of the tree? Do you think I could overwater these trees and damage them in some way??

Let me ask the question again, can you see the root flare, that is where the roots begin to flare away from the trunk? The process of transplanting a container grown tree should not cause extreme shock. Is it possible that you over did an application of root stimulator? It is necessary to keep newly planted trees/plants well watered until they are established especially if they are planted in the dead of summer. For future reference, trees are best planted in early spring so they have the opportunity to get established before the heat of summer. I do not know a lot about birch as they are not planted in Texas.

I planted two river birches in my front bed at the end of April. The same exact thing happened to me. I made a big effort to keep them watered, but happened to miss one day (I overestimated the rain we had) and one of them lost almost all of its leaves. The leaves grew back in two weeks, but since then, I have had to water it everday. The tree looks healthy, but if its goes without the water it needs, it immediately shows yellow leaves. The tree has made slow progress though; the effects of low water are not as severe. I planted mine in a very hot place, so I guess I shouldnt be too suprised this is happening. Birches really love water, but they seem to be much more drought tolerant once they are well established.

This first sentence is the answer:
"If it is really hot, then watering, and spraying the leaves, every day may well be necessary."

I'd simply add that you're dealing with transplant shock and that it is very normal under your current conditions for the entire tree to defoliate but to also, come back. It is entirely possible the tree may re-foliate this year even. Or, it may send most of it's energy to the rootball at this time. It's the tree's choice basically.

I believe that keeping up on water will keep it alive on both top and bottom. When, or if you notice the buds dying, then expect the birch to sucker and as mentioned above, you'll need to remove any portions that do not re-foliate next spring and select new emerging growth for the style you wish for (clump or single trunk).

If you have a cultivar of River Birch, then the new suckers that come up may not be be true to cultivar form but since you did not mention this, I won't assume. And this only applies for grafted trees. Trees produced from cuttings (I'd have to look River Birch propagation up to know for sure) - will produce suckers true to form.

Yes, they are produced from cuttings. Dirr and Heuser (2006) confirm this.

Dax

Dirr, Michael A and Heuser, Charles, Jr. ÂThe Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation: From Seed to Tissue CultureÂ; (Second Edition 2006); Varsity Press, Inc. ISBN: 0942375092 or ISBN: 13: 978-0-942375-09-1

I don't see what the big mystery is here. The OP planted one of the most heat and drought sensitive trees at the worst possible time of year in what is probably a record-breaking heatwave, the likes of which nobody has ever experience before in our lifetimes and is afraid to water too much. Hmmmm.

You will not be able to water them too much this month, that is a guarantee.

If you bought from a reputable nursery they would have a guarantee and let you exchange your dead trees and do so during the fall which is a better time to plant. You shouldn't have to wait for root suckers to grow into something that looks like a tree. That's called being "patient" something I'm not all that good at. Or so I'm told.

I'm pretty much in the same boat. . . desperate to figure out what's wrong with my tree.

Located in SoCal, take aloof at these and let me know what you think.

Since this old tale is still being told, I'd like to remind any potential reader of what the basic requirements are for river birch. Acid soil, plentiful moisture, more or less full sun, and actually a pretty good tolerance to heat, unlike most other birch species. Where the species occurs naturally in my state-the west and west-central areas, these conditions are met. FWIW, if you look at the Wisconsin River valley, as it descends down through this state, it is there and only there (coming from the east like I would be) that one starts to see this tree down in the low areas. Much sandier, more acidic than where I'm at, and noticeably hotter in the summer too.

+oM

Thomas, what part of Southern California are you in? Is the whole state part of the drought? How long has the tree been in the ground?

I just find it amazing that someone, living literally thousands of miles away from this plant's native range, can't find a more location-appropriate tree to work with. I know it sounds like I'm scolding you, f-thomas, but I really mean this more generally. For example, if I were to travel to the SW desert, it most assuredly would not be to look at some sugar maples twisting in the wind out that way. I would be hoping to see desert vegetation, looking good and doing its thing, acclimated, indeed, adapted to its home. Not some poor eastern, wet area plant struggling. A guy at work here goes to Irvine CA every year to visit his brother. I asked him once what kin d of trees they had planted out there. His reply: Norway maples! Come on! Let's have an ounce of inspiration. Norway maples?

+oM

I've planted a lot of River Birches over the years. This year I planted 4 clumps at a new house we built. Every one of them suffered the yellow leave drop off and all of then recovered nicely. Plant them correctly, mulch them and give 'em plenty of water. They'll be fine. Check out this link on River Birch transplant shock: <https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjzv-qhzfjNAhWEpx4KHQBUBr4QFggzMAI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhomeguides.sfgate.com%2Ftransplant-shock-river-birch-trees-86065.html&usg=AFQjCNEgboUysRSTkY0XNbrxA5hdmdnvgw&sig2=7gjK60LS_Rk6SDVFYqP1IQ>;