Split Tree Question

[bigbendmarine]

Recently discovered that a loquat tree I successfully grafted (subtropical fruiting tree I've discussed in another thread) had the trunk split in half, though at least for the moment the tree is still very much alive amd that's after months of the tree being split (suspect split in one of our Florida hurricane/tropical storms with Huriccans Idalia definitely making it highly visible).

I actually didnt love the form before it split as it had two equally large branches splitting off the trunk at kind of odd angles close to one another.

Ive read up on using hardware to to refasten split trunks together, and may try to do so if strongly advised but have wondered if I could carefully remove one half, use a shave knife to round off trunk best I can.

For whatever it's worth, loquats are in the rose/rosaceae family along with apples, plums, roses, etc, and are among the easiest trees to graft. To that point, I wont cry if I lose the tree as I have multiple others around my place and double-digit successfully grafted potted saplings I need to plant.

Here are pictures showing what I'm dealing with... trunk diameter is probably about 3 1/2". If anyone thinks I should try removing one side, would you recommend the split portion thats slightly above the other side / ever so slightly more straight?

 

[Telemark]

I would try to bind it together and let it heal. Then around February, I would cut off the right side. In May or June, or whatever the growing season is in your part of the world when the bark is slipping, use posts and twine to push the left side up straight, and leave it like that for the rest of the year, or until it accepts its new upright shape.