Young Prunus Serrula struggling

We planted this young Prunus Serrula on the spot where a silver birch had blown over in last February’s storm. It had seemed to be thriving but on returning from a week away, we found this. Is it a result of the hot summer? Under watering? Or a pest?


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Bits of browning foliage can happen to any tree, at any time, so it's hard to be specific about a cause.
Drought is certainly a major factor for lots of trees, this year and last year, but the size of the tree, the conditions it's planted in, the location, the aftercare, surrounding planting etc, are also factors which can affect them.
the left is in a pot. The tree roots are not crowded
I can't see the base of it, but if there isn't enough decent quality soil for it, it's going to struggle a bit. Is it a raised bed of some kind? They drain much more quickly too.