Well, I've gotten a lot of replies and I'm afraid I must agree with the experts. It would be an act of "conifericide" to plant it in North Texas. The soil is very gooey clay and the heat is just awful in summer. That would pretty stressful for the tree...not to mention the general drought, insects, and root rot. I'm shipping it to Oregon to my sister's best friend. If it survives the mailing, I hope it takes root! On the plains, the life of every tree counts because most of our trees are really just overgrown bushes. LOL! I would like to thank everyone for the great gardening tips. I had not heard of putting ice cubes around plantings to irrigate. What a great idea for sunny Texas! And, being a newbie on the serious gardening scene, I did not know that some of those planting sheets were highly questionable. I actually read the darn things and plant however they are written. I'm sure that is why I got this lovely, but zone-challenged, planting to begin with! Thanks everybody! I really love this web site! I am learning so much and appreciate how lovely everyone is when they reply. All the best from Fort Worth!

Probably killed by the bare-rooting or something about how they were handled since didn't work. As a side note don't amend or replace planting hole backfill when planting large-growing, long-lived plants like trees and shrubs. Always refill hole with same soil that came out of it. Do apply an organic mulch like wood chips after planting. Keep it away from the stem(s).

The commonly offered one sold incorrectly by Monrovia as 'Golden King' is actually 'Golden Showers'. Chances are that is what you saw. 'Golden King' is a different, older, rather hard-to-grow European introduction not sold to retailers over a wide area by a huge nursery company. See if California Cooperative Extension can help you find out what is wrong with your soil.

Upright tips may indicate the one is actually C. lawsoniana 'Columnaris' or another. C. lawsoniana 'Pelt's Blue' is supposed to have a non-fastigiate habit. Some stock circulated recently in the North American trade may even stem from conspicuously located but seemingly mis-labeled specimen(s) in Washington Park Arboretum, Seattle, where a similar but smaller plant labeled C. lawsoniana 'Pelt's Blue' (or 'Van Pelt's Blue', I don't remember if the tag had the preferred combination) was being displayed immediately to the south of taller examples labeled C. lawsoniana 'Columnaris'. Specimen shown here looks just like propagations of similar size offered recently by Colvos Creek nursery, Vashon, WA as C. lawsoniana 'Columnaris'.