I think it is Dave. STRONG pendulous branches, very narrow, irregular profile. The strong leader is not atypical.

It's possible, if I understand you right, that the leader is more common in the Northwest, under better growing conditions/and or fertilizer. Yours seems slow/stunted, probably from being planted as a larger B&B or too small pot?

-Will

Here is wannabe/newbie talking, but don't the branches of the nursery tree look more sticking out rather than hanging straight down?

Looks right to me. As the plant continues to mature the branches weigh down.

If you look at the original pic of your existing plant you can see the newer shoots up at the top are almost at a 45 degree angle.

wannabe .... as they lengthen.. and gain weight.. then cascade down ... you can already see an arc downward.. and by the time... they double in length this spring... they will be heading down ...

rather than growing straight down ...

i was always mystified with potted stock... when the year after planting.. the leader growth is half ... and it takes a year or two to settle into whatever the norm might be ...

i blame it on hyperfertilization in pots ... and then getting re-established in native soil ... who knows if i am right ...

ken

The appearance (and quality) of nursery stock varies tremendously from grower to grower, from my experience in the trade. Conifers in particular were more likely to vary, due, as Ken remarks, to heavy fertilizer doses, and also to field pruning - or lack thereof. Weepers showed this effect more than others - you let them push out a 2 or 3 foot leader, they look a bit sparse - but they get sold as a larger grade. That is just the business, as a retailer I had to know my growers and their field practices to get the quality of stock I wanted to offer my customers.

And we're not gonna get into whether anybody really paid attention if it was really a 'Bruns', a 'Pendula', or a 'Pendula Bruns'...

brian

I would say there's a 5% chance it isn't. Those are pretty good odds.

Dax