Can I salvage this Cork-bark Fir ?

4 1/2 years ago I planted this compact Arizona Cork Fir - Abies lasiocarpa 'compacta' next to a hedge of Photinia that I hated. My plan being to let it get established for a few years, then rip out the hedge and let the tree grow fast. I watered it for the first few years, but this last summer I neglected it, then in August noticed it was dried out and had lost it's leader. I watered it then, and it's alive, barely. The other things I planted there are doing fine, including a Ceanothus 'Victoria', Ribes aureum, Cotinus 'Golden Spirit', and Choisya ternata. The hedge is coming out now. Is this worth salvaging? I guess I could stake a side branch and turn it into a new leader. I planted this before I knew much, and so it might have been rootbound, It's on a dry slope, clay and rubble. I intend ultimately to neglect the area, which means summer drought, but only once things are well established.
Thanks in advance for your advice.

It's such a choice conifer; I think I'd try to find a more suitable site. Some would say just leave it and let it be, but I do make mistakes when siting and would rather move it to a more preferred spot than let it linger. It's the humane thing to do. ;)

I'd get rid of the Photinia shrubs closest to it now.

Resin

I second Resin's recommendation and also second trying to establish a new leader by staking the most appropriate side branch and eliminating or cutting back others that would compete with the new leader...good luck.

Resin- Photinia is 3/4 gone already, Next door teenager helping me turn it into firewood for $! I have a Sawzall with a pruning blade that works great, and Fiskars loppers that can easily snip up to 2" branches. It's kind of fun.

Pseudo-I planted this before I was on DG. The tag said ultimate height of 8 meters which sounded perfect for that spot. I didn't know it would only grow an inch a year, and is considered a shrub. Oh well live and learn. I might dig it out and put it somewhere else. Abies koreana 'Silberlocke' (on the same page you copied) is beautiful, but also seems slow growing-what do you think?

Mipii-I will splint a new leader into upright position. After all, if it works I still have my tree, otherwise it is ruined anyway. Cost: Five minutes time, one bamboo stick and some string, which I already own! That fir was expensive, and now I see how slow it grows I know why.

mlmls ~ I have not yet tried 'Silberlocke', but everything I've read would indicate it is a slow grower. I did see a roughly 15' specimen growing in someone's back yard not too long ago. It was on the east of the house with afternoon shade. Very nice. I planted a seedling Korean Fir this past fall and I'm just hoping that it makes it through winter. It looks good right now, but I've had a few conifers that looked good until spring, and yet seemingly died as soon as the weather turned warmer. Does that make sense?

Silberloche is a slow groweir, at least here it is. which I prefer because when it get's too it will either have to go or it will be kept in check by trimming which is the likely scenario. three years in (first in a container planted in the ground) and it is still not 3'.

love the abies koreanna have a few more heading this direction this spring all dwarf's