Rick. Yes it will look better if you prune the longer branches i my opinion. The plant have a nice structure. It could look like this..

Beautiful seeding Rick. Such nice branching. If it were to remain open like this all the time I would say leave it. But since it only does this when dry I would trim it back. This would probably encourage the branches to grow stronger, and could trigger some blooms as well.
Tracy

I echo exactly Tracy's reasons for a trim back as she beat me to posting this Rick :) Those would be my thoughts, beefing the branches up and hopefully getting it into flowering mode. Maybe it's because my own few plants are grown hard and they produce shorter more compact plants that I prefer that look when it comes to others peoples plants? I also think the difference between the long outer layer of branches coupled with the more separated shorter inner layer, looks kind of odd if you don't mind me commenting on that observation :) Just my thoughts, it's certainly got a lot of branches and they look in a real healthy condition too.

Gill UK

Nice little tree! But I say hack'n'slash. ;-) There are too many (thin) branches/stem mass relative to the mass of the (small) caudex. The proportions are not right (which often is a "problem" with obesum hybrids (and swazicum)).

Thanks everyone. I really do appreciate you taking the time and sharing your thoughts. I had left this one just to see what it would do, but I feel that a trim is needing.

Thanks again. Will see how it looks after.

Rick

...and do please show us!

Gill UK

I love the look of the plant Rick, but short and fat is the way to go

Sure cut it back. But since it's relatively unique in its form root the stems. That way you have back up and can see how one grows.unmolested if you want

Nice plant, Rick. Personally, I'd only prune the outer branches, probably down to the level of the short ones and leave those tall central branches, definitely leaving the main stem to bring up the top of the canopy. A few more shots from different angles will help.

Pagan

Rick, just wondering, did you morph into Edward Scissorhands? If so, please do show.......

Gill UK

It look much better now

A lot better!

Wow, that's a vast improvement and exactly as I would have done too. The two tiers of branches now all blend in together rather than appearing as separates. It looks great! Glad you had the courage to dive in there, I hope I rewards you with a host of flowers and beefier branches.

Question....did it sprout the shorter set first then the longer ones, or the other way round, or both at the same time? Just curious as they are so different.

Gill UK

I am trying to remember, Gill. I know that when I started this batch of seeds. This one in particular started it's lateral branches from a seedling. I did not do any pinching and it was the only one out of about 20 seedlings which did this. This in part is why I kept this one. Would love to see it bloom. From seed of Ko's called "New Yellow" which is supposed to be fairly consistent in it's progeny.

Rick

Very nice and very promising with that canopy.