It looks to be in pretty bad shape. I can't really see the leaves to make an ID. Do you know what it is? If not, post a close up of a few leaves so we can see what you have. Are those suckers coming up near the base? If so, that would be a good indicator that your best bet might be cutting it back to just above ground level and allowing it to resprout.

Here is a better pic. If a close-up of the leaves is in order, I'll take one when I get home from work. I'm not sure if they're suckers or new branches (or if I completely understand the difference in the two).

Does anyone know the name of this shrub?

Would cutting it down to ground level, as Brandon7 suggested, be best?

I agree with Brandon7 to take out the largest of the trunks to the base. Even if it were healthy it is a very unbalanced shrub. If you are lucky the basal shoots will grow in and you'll get a much better balanced shape.

Great. Thank you both. We'll try that!

Is it normal for this shrub to have these dark spots on its leaves? Or could the whole thing be diseased/dying?

put the first and last pix in the name that plant forum and find out what it is ..

i am leaning toward a crabapple.. and if thats the case ... GET RID OF IT ...

but we can discuss that.. after we get the ID ...

please do report back ...

i am not much for curing ugly plants in august.. by this time.. the battle is usually lost.. so as far as i am concerned... forget about the black spot for now .. do a full fall clean up.. and start prevention.. in the spring ...

ken

looks like a crab tree that someone cut down but didn't kill all the way and it resprouted. isn't a great place for it.