The top piece will die - it is usually too thick to callous over and make root growth (on a plant with a 3-4inch girth), while new shoots will appear from growth buds just beneath the cambium. The bit where the top is lopped from, will just blacken off and be fairly invisible once new branches appear lower down the trunk...but yeah, it cam look a bit weird for a season or 2.

Here's a picture of it. I'd say the trunk is 1" in diameter at the bend, which is where I would cut it. I don't think I'll risk it if it means starting all over though. I bought this as a tiny annual at Home Depot and have watched it survive and grow for three years.

OK, try this. It is sometimes done to gnarly and woody roses to get a bit more basal action. Make a little incision, just through the top cambium layer (I use my thumbnail). The cut needs to go between a 1/4 tp 1/3rd of the way round the trunk. This can stimulate a dormant bud into sprouting just below the cut. Ut is similar to pruning (when breaking apical dominance or adjusting lateral growrg)...but without the severity of actually removing branches.

eta apols for any futire posting - my desklight has just carked it and all the letters on my keyboard have worn off - o am not bothering endlessly cottecting my typing as my last post took an hout of teethgrinding and guessing

You're suggesting I do this below where the leaves are now emerging, with the goal of re-leafing the trunk lower down?? Wild!

Yep, just so.