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A tree that will grow to be more than 40 feet tall should have a single trunk well up into its canopy, but the trunk does not have to be arrow-straight. A tree that forks in its top half should have one of the trunks removed before planting.
If the trunk forks in the lower half of the tree, is unusually bent or has a severe dog-leg, then it should not be planted. Trees with a single trunk are usually more appropriate for planting along streets and near walks and are also easier to train so that the branches grow well overhead of vehicles and pedestrians.
Lower branches and entire trunks on multi-trunked trees often have to be removed several years after planting because they obstruct pedestrians and traffic. This often disfigures the tree and compromises tree health.
Small multi-trunked trees less than 30 feet tall at maturity have a definite place in the landscape. If their several trunks originate close to the ground, they make nice specimens, especially those trees that have attractive, showy bark or trunk structure.
Trees with several trunks often develop embedded bark in the crotches. Embedded bark appears as a crease running several inches to many feet down from the crotch. Bark is pinched into the crease. This condition can cause one of the trunks to split from the rest of the tree during a storm or even on a windy day.
Branches should be distributed along the trunk and not clumped toward the top. Branches in the lower half of the tree help distribute the stress placed on the trunk when the wind blows. At least half of the foliage should originate from branches on the lower two-thirds of the tree. Branches that are less than half the diameter of the trunk and those with a U-shaped crotch are stronger than those that grow larger than half the trunk diameter and those with a V-shaped crotch.
Branch arrangement and spacing is especially important on trees that will be large, over 40 feet at maturity. On saplings with trunk diameters of less than 2 inches, the main or largest diameter branches should be about 6 inches apart. Smaller-sized branches can be closer than this.
Trees with trunk diameters between 2 and 4 inches might have one or two branches that will be permanent branches. Permanent branches should be spaced at least 18 inches apart and should not have bark embedded in the branch crotches. Trees with trunks larger than 4 inches in diameter are likely to have several permanent branches that should also be at least 18 inches apart. Branch arrangement and spacing is less crucial on trees that will be small at maturity.
Simply look for those with a pleasing branch arrangement that will fit the needs of the planting site. Larry Sagers
Horticultural Specialist
Utah State University Extension Service
Thanksgiving Point Office
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