Removing large bough from cherry blossom

The cherry blossom below is in the property I moved into last year. It does not seem to have been maintained very well. The bough (or maybe trunk is more accurate) to the right has grown far too big to the point that it is thicker than the (central) trunk. The tree produced very few blossoms last April as well although there don't seem to be any dead branches.




My questions are:

1) Should I even attempt to remove the bough or am I at the point of no return? Would a wound that size be fatal for the tree?
2) If removing is feasible, when is the optimal time of year to do so?

I've read the sticky thread on pruning trees and it mentions that the use of sealant for wounds is generally not considered good practice today. I assume this would also apply for me.

There are houses being built next door and the cherry will provide some privacy in the summer, so I would only do something if there was a fair chance it would not be fatal for the tree, otherwise it may be better to just keep the status quo.

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

Prunus are pretty when in flower but they can also present several problems. Surgery is best done once flowering is over. Sadly this tree has been left to it's own resources and has grown much to the style of a shrub. Please. This is only what I would do if the tree was mine.

I'd concentrate on the main (center trunk). I would cut off at the trunk/bough joint and then go to the otherside of the main trunk. Here you have two boughs. I'd get rid of these. Perhaps printing the photo and playing around with it you will start to see the improvement.

You now have what looks like a tree. Now some attention to the crown, that is the upper branches. I suggest shortening the leaders and trimming to an acceptable shape.

Your mention of a sealant for the cut ends. Since its lack of use, I have seen so many trees suffer adversly for none treatment. However in your case, I think you can get away with it. Just keep an eye on the bigger cuts. Some Prunus do tend to rot easily. I wish you all the best and hope this helps.

 

If it was mine I would remove the right trunk and the smaller left one too. Dont cut into the collar and only prune in June July or silver leaf may enter it and knacker it. No sealer either.

Ive found wild cherry a nightmare to shape.

I would also remove that soil built up around the trunk.

 

If it's not gonna cause any obstruction or problems where it is I'd leave ot as it is and grow it as a bush. I'd just trim the branches back after flowering to create a compact shape. Who says that it hs to be grown as a single stemmed ( tree- like ) specimen.

 

It's definitely got two dominant stems.
Think I would leave well alone, it looks healthy to me.
Just some light pruning after flowering to keep it in check would be my option.

 

+1 for removing the thick trunk on the right, and the two smaller ones on the left. That will leave you with a nicely shaped tree. Preferably a two-man job in a dry spell in midsummer. Start by sawing underneath, about 1/2" from the main trunk, and angled slightly so that when you do the top cut, it will meet up cleanly with the bottom one. Then, with someone or something supporting the branch, start to saw from the top down. (An alternative method is to chop it some way from the main trunk, still cutting underneath first, then re-cut it neatly near the main trunk when you've got rid of most of the weight). It's important not to allow the bark to peel downwards under the weight of the cut branch.
If you get the distance from the main trunk right, the bark will form a neat callus over the wound. It might produce some wispy shoots around the cuts, but those can be taken off flush with the trunk while they're small.

 

Thank you all so much for the comments. Opinion seems quite split down the middle, so I will give it a bit more thought between now and June.

If I do proceed, is the angle of a potential cut marked below about right or could it be shallower?

 

I thought I'd google this. definition of a tree rather than a bush or shrub.

 

In my opinion you'd be better off leaving it for now. Not only do trees need lower limbs to help grow, but a wound that close to the ground could easily lead to infection from wood decaying pathogens. Formative pruning will, instead, be a better option leaving you with a healthy, well shaped and generally healthier tree.