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Monkey Puzzle Tree with 2 vertical stems
Helencburke
Posts: 1
Hi
I was recently given a monkey puzzle tree by a neighbour who was clearing out. It’s about 5 years old so is fairly well established but still in a pot at this stage and growing well.
The problem is that at some point in its life it looks like the trunk might have been cut (no idea how or when this happened), which has caused two vertical stems to grow from the cut.
Obviously I would much prefer that the tree just had one trunk so I wonder what to do about this? One of the stems is a bit smaller than the other so I could try cutting that and then training the other, accepting the trunk might end up with a bit of a kink.
However, all advice I have read so far cautions against pruning live parts of the tree and definitely not to cut the trunk or apical meristem- which is pretty much exactly what I would have to do. I do want a single trunk but I don’t want to kill the tree- one wonkey monkey puzzle is better than none at all.
Does anybody have any suggestions or advice? Picture attached.
Many thanks
Helen
I was recently given a monkey puzzle tree by a neighbour who was clearing out. It’s about 5 years old so is fairly well established but still in a pot at this stage and growing well.
The problem is that at some point in its life it looks like the trunk might have been cut (no idea how or when this happened), which has caused two vertical stems to grow from the cut.
Obviously I would much prefer that the tree just had one trunk so I wonder what to do about this? One of the stems is a bit smaller than the other so I could try cutting that and then training the other, accepting the trunk might end up with a bit of a kink.
However, all advice I have read so far cautions against pruning live parts of the tree and definitely not to cut the trunk or apical meristem- which is pretty much exactly what I would have to do. I do want a single trunk but I don’t want to kill the tree- one wonkey monkey puzzle is better than none at all.
Does anybody have any suggestions or advice? Picture attached.
Many thanks
Helen
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