Trident maple (to air layer or not)

[daudelus]

I acquired this trident maple with full foliage this spring. Once I was able to remove the fall foliage and took a better look. My choices, as I see it, are to leave it as is and do some grafts lower on the trunk or air layer the top and then chop lower on the trunk to start fresh with the stump. The images are with leaves, the top I could try to airlayer and then the entire tree without leaves. Thoughts?

 

[Shibui]

Not sure that branches lower will improve that trunk much.
Looks like very obvious reverse taper where a side branch has fused with the trunk near the 1st bend and that upper chop is swelling quite bad. Layering somewhere above that thicker area looks like the only option but unless it looks a lot better from another side I'm not sure what you'll get.

 

[BobbyLane]

Its very poor material, really struggling to see what can be done, maybe layering top off is only option, unless you cut out the bulge with knob cutters and make a feature of the scar with carving. base looks like it'd need ground layering too unless theres more flare under soil.

 

[BobbyLane]

Trees can have high canopies, was looking at this one by MichealS yest on another thread. but if you wanted to do something drastic you can nibble away with knob cutters as mentioned and attempt to create taper, if it died i wouldnt be bothered much, but thats me

 

[daudelus]

Thanks so much for your insights!!