Dead Japanese Maple But Alive At The Bottom Of The Trunk. Can I Cut It To That Point?

Question

I have a dead Japanese Maple from the polar vortex here in Chicago two winters ago. I gave it a couple of seasons but the entire tree is dead. There are many branches (shoots) growing very healthy from the base of the trunk. Can I cut the trunk at that part and let it grow back? Thanks.

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Answer 1

You can try that and see how it looks, although it will be the rootstalk and may not have the same characteristics as the top part that died. Japanese maples are generally grafted trees.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/what-is-a-graft-collar.htm