Carve or keep or else?

Cajunrider

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This tree has 3/4 of a beautiful base with this one corner. Should I carve it away? Keep and develop the branch to be a minor trunk? Or approach graft to develop the nebari at that spot?
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Gabler

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Do mayhaws layer? You could probably induce roots to grow there without the need for grafting, and then if you grow out that low branch into a trunk, I'd expect it to encourage the new roots below it to thicken up in proportion with the others.
 

ShadyStump

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You said yourself that it has 3/4 of a great base already, so I hate to get rid of that.
That cut on the back side, though, could be carved into something that gives a notion as to what happened to the last 1/4 of the base. Keep the branch for now like @Gabler (BTW, I lose😉) suggested. It may come in handy for any number of things, and worst case scenario can be chopped and carved along with anything else.
 

ShadyStump

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Yes, I say keep. It's the most distinguishing feature of the tree. It might not be the prettiest feature, but it's quite interesting.

It's my idea, so of course I like it; but carve the empty back side to give a story of why the rest of the base might be missing. Perhaps it was a secondary trunk that fell then rotted away.
Or maybe just heal it all smooth, and a river bank washed out from under it. Repotting the tree at an angle toward the empty side might be an option if you go with that.
 
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