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?
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.
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.
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? View attachment 490889 View attachment 490890
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.