No dominant stem

[Phalangie9]

Hi,

I recently moved into this house and the front yard tree looks like it was never pruned. There is no dominant stem and I am not sure it's possible to coax one out of the tree at this point.

The tree limbs are beginning to cross to neighbors driveway and over the garage.I'm near Denver and our spring snow is quite heavy leaving lower limbs sitting on cars parked under.

I will be pruning for dead branches, crossing branches, and the like. Unfortunately the other problems with this house (plumbing, electrical, etc) put professional help about 2 years down the road.

If you have any thoughts about the tree in general, perhaps I should be saving to take it down in a few years? Or does it look salvageable despite unruly nature? My initial thought was the species chosen was too large for such close homes and tiny yards.

I don't know the species and my best guess at age is 20-25 years. The home is 38 years, so the tree could be older.

Thank you, appreciate any guidance!

 

[Raintree]

Hard to tell from your pictures what it is, opposite branching. A guess would be green ash.
No dominant stem is not an issue. EAB is if it's an Ash tree.
As for pruning, deadwood and elevate lower limbs for clearance, hold off on the thinning. ID the tree and do some research before spending recorces on it.

 

[ATH]

I agree @Raintree sure looks like Ash to me.

Get another pic of the branch junction between the middle and nearest trunk in that first picture. Looks like that might be a bad attachment angle. I'd reduce the load on that...but that is something you need a pro to do well.

Again...I agree: for now clean out some dead and low hanging.

I hope those landscape blocks are coming out, not going in? (don't pile dirt/mulch around the trunk)