Hello. I have a green lace leaf japanese maple that is about 18 years old. It is (was) a beautiful tree planted in my parents front yard since I was in middle school and is the first thing I visit now when I go home. About a month ago, someone must have been running around at night and fell over it and busted it to pieces. I cried when mom told me. We thought all of the limbs were goners, but one limb didn't die even though it has busted almost off of the trunk! My dad propped it back up and wrapped a plastic bag with soil and moisture in it around where the branch meets the tree in hopes that it will grow roots or something. The branch is still alive and so is the wacky branch that is different (apparently from the "parent" plant. I don't know what else to do for it. I am worried about it when winter comes. Will that branch root or die? What happens if it does root and then winter comes...will the roots freeze? What would be the best thing to do? I love my little tree and want it to live!

Thanks!!!