Hi Kitkat & Welcome, I'm going to assume you don't know about these plants, so if I say something which sounds obvious or that you already know, I ask in advance that you pls. excuse me. Xmas cacti are jungle cacti, not desert cacti (as some folks mistake them), so they want & need water. They naturally grow in the branches of trees in the tropics, so in these branches or crotches of trees as they're called, they don't really have soil, just leaves, debris & animal droppings that collect there. Key is that any water runs right through this debris & doesn't stay in the roots long at all. The roots of these plants can look surprisingly small & indignificant. What do you mean by the soil looks like cinder? I don't know that word, does that mean like burnt ashes of firewood as example, like burnt cinders? I agree with statement above that woody growth can be normal, just a sign of older growth, so pls. disregard that. I suggest you take cuttings & start new ones; then repot the old, original plant as well. The leaves are referred to as segments or stems. It's recommended that a cutting should have 3-5 segments on each one cutting. I'd use small plastic pots, & place a number of cuttings around the outer edge of the pot & one or 2 in the center. I just checked my reference book & confirmed that largish plants can be kept in smallish pots, say a plant 12" wide & maybe 8-10" high, could easily remain in a pot only 4-5" in diameter. The mix should be something like African violet soil readily available at nurseries, box stores, etc. w/ added perlite, say 1/3 perlite to 2/3 AV soil. This will make for light & airy mix, fast draining which is what these plants need. Only water the new cuttings lightly as without roots, they can't really take up the water. Give them bright, indirect light or place them at the edge of a window. Either water lightly every few days or spray the top of the mix w/ a plant mister. Pls. don't tug on the cuttings to check for rooting, just wait to see new growth; when you do that means the cuttings have rooted; then you can you can water more. If the original rootball & its mix are hardened, soak them first, in a basin of warm water & crumble off the old mix w/ your fingers as much as you can & repot in a fresh mix. Hope I've covered everything, you should see new growth in 4 weeks I'm guessing, if not before then. Good for you for wanting to rescue & do right by this plant. May it reward you w/ lots of blooms next year. Are the edges of the stems jagged or rounded? Jagged indicates Thanksgiving cactus, rounded indicates Christmas cactus. Good luck!

I'd like to comment on your excellent and honest arborist! He should be commended. The life span of Willow Oaks is not as long as that of other oaks...mostly because it's a fast growing species, as far as oaks go. As trees age, they begin rejecting the 'tree body', as I call it: shedding small branches and even larger limbs so that the tree doesn't have to support it physiologically. Of course, fewer branches means fewer leaves, which are the energy factories for our plants. And so the decline begins. As trees age, they are less able to fight off insects (thus, your borers) and disease pathogens, too. Just like any aging organism, they become less able to function properly. Trees at this stage become a real hazard. The vascular system consists of two separate tissues: the phloem is what is located just under the bark. Its job is to conduct photosynthates FROM the leaves to other parts of the plant body, especially the roots. That's why it's green. The xylem is deeper and is composed of connected hollow cells that carry water and dissolved minerals TO the leaves. Something like long drinking straws that go from the root tips to the leaf tips. Now, what kind of trees are YOU going to plant in order to keep the legacy going? Let's think of some real trees, not the dinky, short-lived things so commonly planted these days.

After growing many types of Oaks I can tell you the fastest growing oak I have ever seen is the Sawtooth Oak. I planted a water oak, northern red oak, nuttall oak, sawtooth oak, and live oak. Of all these the sawtooth destroyed all the others. After 7-8 years it is a 40' X 40' tree (from 5-6'). My only complaint is the holding of dead leaves all winter and into the spring which does not make for a pretty fall/winter look, but the structure is outstanding. Next to that the Nuttall oak has been outstanding, and would be my choice. In the same time it is about 35' X 35', with incredible trunk caliper and structure. Those 2 would always be my go to trees for a great tree, and very fast growth. As others have said most "fast" growing tress are weak, I would go oak. Another option would be a more rare tree. I have an American Elm (Valley Forge) coming in a few days to plant. Solid fast growth, outstanding "classic" tree that are oh so rare now. This elm is highly resistant to dutch elm disease (the most resistant actually), you have to be careful what you get. I can give you contact info for the pretty much the only one I know that handles, grows, and promotes this tree if you have any interest email me... godmanstudios@gmail.com

tree removal is highly location specific ... you would have the stump ground out... you do not bring in a backhoe and remove all the roots ... short of a lot of money ... you would not replant in the exact area ... just because it is really hard .. though i do not know about the root rot thing in your area ...i would defer to those above in that regard .... but that can be avoided ... by planting just about anything else .. beside an exact duplicate ... if you want a sitting area... in terms of instant gratification ... most likely.. its time for a pergola ... as the bottom line with trees.... there simply isnt much instant gratification ... https://www.google.com/search?q=pergola&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiY7cS4m5PKAhUBS2MKHZvHAJgQ_AUIBygB&biw=911&bih=745&dpr=0.9 all that said.. what is the pot with the irrigation tube... in the first and second pix??? ken