I've only lived here for 3 years, but this maple was in desperate need of cleanup, it was very overgrown and compacted with lots of dead branches underneath. Google lens tells me that both are Japanese maples of different types. Should I cut off the tall green shoot that is growing from the base of the trunk?

I have no experience with this type of tree, but my husband convinced me it was a new tree coming up next to this one and to cut it. Once we were able to see in there we were shocked to see it growing off the main trunk!

Another view

Close up of bottom tree leaves

Close up of second green leaves growing up high from the base of the trunk

its a grafted tree - the low version maple is the graft or scion - the high version maple (trunk + root system) is the rootstock

should be able to see the actual graft point - can appear as a horizontal line or ring circling the trunk, a step-up or step-down or appear as a stylized lightning bolt both circling the trunk

if you cut off below the graft, the low version is gone forever -

if you want to preserve the low version maples appearance, cut out the tall version .....chances are it will sprout another, and another - clip off as they appear, and maintenance will be minimal

Welcome to NGA

the second growing from the base with the bigger leaves is the rootstock. It happens to mine and I have to cut the rootstock growth to preserve the grafted Japanese maple.

It is common for Japanese maple to be grafted to a rootstock of regular maple seedling.

I realllllllyyyyy appreciate your confirmation of what's going on! I want to preserve the lower maple, so I will cut off the taller green maple and watch for more in the future.