Acer Rubrum #3

[Cmd5235]

Starting a thread for this collected maple. I cut it straight, as seen in the first photos. Unfortunately, the one entire side of the trunk died. I cut out all the dead wood, resulting in the long scar seen. At this point, I'm torn between keeping both leaders as trunks, or cutting back to one. The scar will heal over in a few, so I am not counting on making it an uro.



When collected.




Last fall










Thoughts? Keep the twin trunk and try to avoid the Y shaped slingshot? Or cut one back and deal with the swelling?

 

[Gabler]

Keep them both for a year or two to help heal the wound in the trunk, and then remove one of them once the tree has gotten vigorous.

 

[pandacular]

I would keep both, mostly just to see which gives you the better options. It also means more opportunities for thread grafts, which I think could really push this tree forward if you placed them on the edge of the wound.

I don’t know if that wound will ever heal to complete satisfaction, so I would consider leaning into it and making it a feature.

 

[Cmd5235]

I ended up choosing one earlier this year and just got around to doing a little carving. I will be keeping the scar as a feature