Huge a$$ trident

[SexyGArdener]

Further re-chopped and repotted to a shallower Anderson flat. The previous three main branches never really made the tree awesome as a bonsai, just landscaping nice. The shallower container made it lighter to move around the yard in case I need to travel and I did a decent amount last year.

 

[ChefB]

Cover those wounds.

 

[BobbyLane]

Those were subtrunks you removed not branches. you went the 'bonsai' route, fair enough if thats where your tastes lie. I think it could of been really impressive in time as a multi trunk naturalistic tree,
I think it had the bones to attempt something along the lines of this Walter pall Hornbeam

 

[Tieball]

I would not reduce it to a single trunk. I believe that the natural growth so far is best and gives you a lot to work with creating an ancient tree style. I also would not get hung up on creating a triangle foliage. For this tree I would think more globe like….more natural….not a triangle. But…that’s all in the past now….and you’ve said….enjoy the journey. You have something worthwhile to view and work on.

 

[Don Blackmond]

Leaving the heavy trunk branching would have resulted in a neat oak-style tree but you would have had bad trunk swelling and inverse taper with all that heavy growth from one general area of the trunk.
Now that you striped it down to a single trunk line, put it in the ground to gain vigorous growth to heal and develop the trunk and roots. You will want to graft roots if you want a decent base. Spend a couple years working the roots/base and healing the trunk, then you can begin to develop your branching. There are no short cuts if you want it to turn out well.