Merged Trunks - Keep one, cut other how low?

[iamlucky13]

I've got a medium-sized bird cherry (I think) that was already growing in our yard when we bought our house. There were 6 trunks. I'm not sure if they share a root system or are separate trees.

I've thinned it down to three trunks, and might even go as far as just one. The trunk I definitely want to keep has two smaller trunk close enough to it they appear to be merging. I don't know if there is actual inosculation (learned that word today while searching the internet for information) happening or not.

Regardless, I'm simply after a recommendation for how low to cut the trunk. See the picture.

Going any lower than shown, it will be difficult to avoid cutting the bark of the trunk I'm keeping, and I don't know if at some point, I might run into inosculated wood and simply have a deep cut into a section of trunk I can't remove that will be a pathway for rot or other problems.

Also, should I spray pruning sealer on the removed trunk, or should it rot away over time without affecting the live trunk?

It's not critically important that the remaining tree survive long term, but I thought I'd see if any folks here had tips for improving its chances.

Thanks for any input.

 

[Sodbuster]

Limited photo, I would cut all but the main trunk treating them as suckers. Cut right along the split between the main the cut trunk as shown. Treat with a sealant.

 

[BenTN]

Cherry trees are good candidates for coppicing, what this appears to be, intentional or not. Your remaining stump looks like it would remove fairly easily. I would cut carefully thru as low as I could and pry it from the main stem. Small cuts or bark damage will heal better than a rotting limb. You will probably be cutting suckers from the stump every year. Silver lining is cherry makes great BBQ wood, by itself or mixed with some hickory.

 

[iamlucky13]

Thanks for the replies. This makes sense, and cutting low and prying it off the main stem if needed is what I was leaning towards. Good to have some corroboration.

I suspected I'd have suckers to deal with. That shouldn't be too much trouble, since it's easily accessible.

 

[Allagash350]

Those suckers grow fast, and they multiply every year haha. If you keep up with it usually once every couple weeks just hit them with the weed wacker before they get too big.

I have cut a lot of birch like that, and I always cut the trunk at about a 45 degree angle, or as low as I could go, right up to where it meets the other trunk. I don’t know why but I thought it looks cleaner.
Definitely be careful you don’t nick the other trunk.