The ikur deah in the shulchan orech seems to be that hadas niktam is kosher. Would that mean that if one had a long hadas, he could cut it in three and use it as three hadasim? Is there a reason to have 3 individual branches?
Frohlich, Ramat Bet Shemesh, Israel
First, there is very definitely a reason to have three individual branches. The Halachah (OC 651:1) follows the opinion of Rebbi Yishmael (Sukah 34b) that we require three Hadasim in our Lulav, as opposed to the opinion of Rebbi Akiva that we only require one.
Second, we don't like to rely on the opinion that Niktam is Kosher (OC 646:10, Rema) unless there is no alternative.
Now if you cut this long Hadas into three pieces, you will have one piece that is complete at the top and two pieces that are Niktam. The Mishnah Berurah (646:32) queries whether such a group of Hadasim would be Kosher l'Chatchilah. The question (as explained in the Sha'ar ha'Tziyun there, #34) is whether the Ra'avad, who is the author of the strict opinion concerning Niktam Rosho, might be lenient regarding the number of Hadasim one needs. If he is then you have "covered all your bases" because you have one complete Hadas which satisfies his Shitah completely and two other Niktams which give you three Hadasim altogether which satisfies the Halachah in 651:1.
The Mishnah Berurah doesn't answer his own question, but it seems that cutting the one long Hadas into three pieces is the way to go. The only question is whether you would make a Berachah or not on such a Lulav.
Kol Tuv and a happy Pesach,
Yonasan Sigler
This is not a Psak Halachah