all trees/comifers will releader ...

and i would wait a few year.. until it dows.. and then reduce to one ...

how old is this thing... a PM probably shouldnt be that tall in 20 years ...

your reminds meo of mine.. of which PM died a year tor two after planting .. and now i just have a bald cypress ...

if this is NOT PM .. then it is really.. really.. in the wrong spot

lets see if anyone can ID it ...
in the mean time.. how long is this springs growth ... that should tell us if it is in the dwarf range of annual growth ....

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: potential of BC

Thanks for your response! The tree has only been in this location for 5 years and has grown very quickly. I received it from a very reliable source so I haven't questioned if it really is a Peve Minaret. I have it next to a Yoshino cherry that has grown equally fast. I see a few sources online that indicate it can reach 20' but was hoping for the shorter 8' mature height. I have an arborist coming to check another tree and will have them check this one as well. Thanks again for the info.

i got mine from a good source also.. that doesnt mean.. the grafted cultivar didnt die.. like mine did ... and the root stock took over ...

i doubt an arborist will answer the issue of whether it PM .... though he will address the leader issue ...

how big was it.. when you got it ... PM should not be 15 feet in 5 years .... unless it was 10 feet when you bought it ....

ken

That Yoshino Cherry is causing it to lean. Not a good combo. It will have more problems in the future even if you limb up the cherry.
It it were me, I'd choose one and cut the other down. They are too close to each other.
Mike.

It doesn't look like PM to me. I wonder if the graft died and root stock took over and nursery did not catch that...

Here is a link that might be useful: PM

Thanks to all... I'm always reluctant to take out a tree but you've help me decide the PM (or whatever it is) has to go. The Yoshino is thriving and clearly needs room. This is the view from the other side of the tree and you can see I have more than enough growing on to fill in the space.

could there be two leaders in the PM???

i see the dwarf.. and i see a giant ...

track down the giant.. and see if it suckered below the graft ..

if so.. you might be able to save the dwarf ... but cutting off the understock shoot....

or just get rid of it...

ken

Ahh... I see PM on the other side. Like Ken said, check for separate trunks...

Your BC is not PM. Your tree has horizontal branching like the species where as PM has distinct upright branching.

Nice to see that paniculata flowering nicely in what appears to be a decent amount of shade.

i hope she checks.. and lets us know

ken

I don't see any suckering on the BC and see only one leader. Good to have confirmation it is not a PM -- it makes the decision to remove it much easier. The Hydrangea paniculata is 'Early Sensation' - it's been blooming for over a month and gets a lot of afternoon sun. There's a dwarf (I hope) cryptomeria to its right and weeping Japanese maple 'Ryusen' to the left. Thanks again - this is my first time submitting to a GardenWeb forum and ya'll have been incredibly helpful.