Here is my first trident maple. Purchased from a nursery online for $40. Th chop at the top is quite mangled, and it looks like some sort of glue was used as a cut paste. There is also a fat long root which is maimed at the end, projecting from the side of the tree. Here are some pictures from all angles. I'd appreciate some advice where to go. I was thinking I would start by repotting into better soil early spring, taking off that side root and using whatever roots are buried deeper, and maybe lopping off the entire mangled top of the tree. Thanks.

more

If it were my tree, I'd unpot, cut to that first smaller branch pointing upward at an angle (new leader, but look for a bud not more than one-third the way up to let run) and trim the big root way back, then plant in the ground for a few years.  Tridents heal and grow fast, and you should be able to get much better taper and a fatter trunk by doing this.  The entire top of the tree can be developed once you have the basics established.

Best of luck with the project.

Zach