I vote for pruning it off. That branch was weak enough to bend down this snow and trees do not really heal much they just grow around wounds. Plus you will feel responsible if it ever falls on a dog or kid enjoying the shade.

i cant really tell what the problem is.. from the pix ...

trees can encapsulate a wound ... but they can not heal interior structural wood.. like you might heal a broken bone ...

its going to break.. someday in the next decade or two .. the next good wind or snow storm ... especially as it keeps growing further from the break ... adding more weight ....

looks like a pine ...

dont know what to suggest.. based on these pix

ken

Thanks for the feedback guys I'll prune it off.

Hy!

Cutting of this weak branch is a good idea- danger of breaking of 's too big and the tree has two other fine stems to go. When you cut, don 't let over any length of a hook, cut it so that you got a plain wound- as if there was never a branch. And cut in two steps- important at this length of the branch and its weight.

First saw a slit on the underside of the branch, ca. one third of the branches diameter deep, then cut it one or two feet above this slit from the upper side. The weight of the branch will let crack it off. The slit on the underside prevents the bark of been ripped off down the stem of the tree. In which case it will give a long ugly and badly healing wound.

When the branch has cracked off, saw the rest off plain at its base, which wound the tree can heal perfectly in just a few years.

you prune .. beginning at height.. removing all the hanging weight.. so that when you get to the last.. precision cut ... you dont do more damage ..

ken