direction to go

[travislivid]

This is one of the larger cedar elms I collected this year. It is 3.5" diameter at the base. I am trying to see the best way to deal with the way the tree almost splits into 2 apex's. I am not sure If I should just cut each of them down just a bit to make it shorter overall and let the grow into a more broom style. Or cut one of the apex branches off to make a single. If I keep the longer one how much do I cut it down?
Looking at my diagram I am thinking of just cutting at the red line? Need advise.

 

[edprocoat]

Man I like that tree. I would eventually cut that large upper trunk where you have the green line at and keep the rest, it has a lot of characther. The reason I would cut it at the green line is that top branch is just too thick for the tree, otherwise I would keep them all.
I hope ypu post some pics when it fills out green!

ed

 

[bonsai barry]

I vote for for the red line.

 

[JudyB]

Looks like you have tons of options, and it's a bit hard to tell without seeing it 3d, but looks like the red line, and then replanting at an angle would do well. That way the lower trunk wouldn't appear so straight up to the first curve. But really look hard at this, and then reduce it s l o w l y...(from the top down...) you may see something better.

 

[rockm]

Cut at the red line, keep the rest. Face the remaining leader in the front of the tree. CEs can develop heavy scar tissue from hard pruning and that position would put the scar at the rear. You may also want to reduce that heavy branch by a third to the existing twig at the bend. That would give you a basic frame to start pushing ramification into.