I have read that in this instance that people can do two grafts. The native variety being the most hardy and strongest rooting, then a short intermediary piece which can bridge between the native and fruiting varieties. Can anyone assist? Or know someone who can? I have cut down a large native cherry and would like to graft lapins and stella to the sprouts which are sure to come up this spring. "example taken from plum/almond stone fruit grafting" - " Also (and this is where the fun starts) most fruit trees in the Prunus genus are sometimes compatible with each other: almonds, apricots, nectarines, peaches, and plums all are compatible for grafting, but occasionally it's complicated. For example, some plum rootstock is not compatible with peaches or nectarines; and some almonds require an intermediate step before grafting onto some plum rootstocks."

Well... of course, as soon as I post this I find a list from the Arbor Day order (or at least, I think it was that year's order). No idea which is which (which of the ones that came in this bundle actually survived), but could the third photo be a young Sargeant Crabapple? That's on the list, as is Eastern Redbud, Washington Hawthorn, dogwood (I know it's not that), Goldenraintree and crapemyrtle (I remember wondering why on earth they were shipping crapemyrtles to New England!!) In theory (meaning assuming they sent what they said they were sending), it should be one of those -- and the crabapple seems like the only one it could be? I'd be floored if they were shipping free Bradford pears (which is what someone on Name that Plant thought it was as well) -- aren't they considered more or less invasive plants in a lot of areas these days? So I'm hoping for Sargeant crabapple since I wouldn't mind having one of those for the birds (means the little guy can stay right where he is now, in the bird/butterfly garden).

Mimosa wilt has been reported in California, notably southern CA, though the lack of characteristic symptoms noted in the OP makes this less likely. I'd avoid any cultural changes that might accelerate the tree's decline. As for planting A. julibrissin anywhere where significant disease problems have been reported, it would be best not to give the tree a prominent location, and to accept that it might have a limited life span (someone living about a half mile away from us had a huge old tree in their front yard that went from magnificent to dead over the span of three years). I have two specimens of "Ernest Wilson" grown from seed started three years ago, planted in two out-of-the-way locations. Both survived -9F this past winter with virtually no damage. There are cultivars i.e. "Flame" and "Union: which are said to be wilt-resistant. As for invasiveness, in my part of Kentucky I don't see self-seeded trees growing along roadsides and in "waste places" as described further south.

I had to prune mine up this spring to get rid of branch stubs left by the rabbits. The snow was so deep, the rabbits were able to nip branch's halfway up the tree. And these trees tend to explode with branches in spring, going in every direction, up, down crisscrossing and along the existing branches. Mine might have bled a little or even for a while but I really didn't pay much attention. And it would've bled from the rabbit nips even if I didn't prune. You aren't going to hurt an amur maple (acer ginnala) by bleeding anyways. Most people just let them go 'Au natural' and they produce quite a large, shrub like appearance. It's the only tree in my yard that got zero supplemental water during the drought period for the last two years. On sandy ground with sand subsoil. There are several others in the neighborhood too that are unattended and still grow remarkably well. A good portion of the leaves are gone on mine, but it just looks better, to me anyways. eta: I don't know if I'll do any future pruning. The way these trees send out new branches, from everywhere along the trunk and old branches, it may be futile. When I think about it though, I was just trying to establish a single trunk on mine, so all it takes is to snap on a 'rabbit tube' to protect it over winter. ;-)