As you groom them for bonsai, some of those branches will get cut back or removed. As the tree matures, the bonsai shape will firm up and those longer branches will keep getting cut back. Or at least I'm assuming you will be grooming for bonsai with it planted there. If you aren't planning on grooming it like that, you need to move it 15-30 feet away from your house to account for an ungroomed mature size.

Is it possible it's growing in too much shade? These are large shrubs/small trees, and you might want to consider relocating it.

In my experience, its what they do. I was at Schreiner's Iris Gardens schreinersgardens.com on Friday where they had many large, mature plants in full bloom (intoxicating!), and they were all flopping and sagging all over the place. If you have the space, I think this is perfect, as it puts the flowers right at nose level, but few have the space, I sure don't! Chionanthus retusus grows much more mannerly but I don't think the fragrance compares. But, I have only smelled the flowers of this species on one occasion, in 1989, my memory might be wrong.

The flopping and sagging you mention has not been my experience, but the intoxicating bloom sure is.

lol no this is not a bonsai tree. I have no dead stems. This is full sun. I have a single trunk female in shade that had the same issue. But being single stem I was able to easy support it. The smell was great this year !

If you aren't planning on bonsai with it.... are you aware that ungroomed it can get to be fairly large? You have it planted very close to your porch and stairs.

Mine is strong and upright to 12 feet now. No limp saggy branches.

Beesneeds yes this isn’t my first rodeo. Any information on the I question asked ?

Maackia that is a fine specimen. Can’t figure out why I am having this issue. Mine has put on a ton of growth in only a couple years. I need some of these branches to thicken up and harden off. This was size on may of 2022 and then you can see I’ve been having this issue ever since in started growing.

Beesneeds yes this isn’t my first rodeo. Any information on the I question asked ?

I already gave it. Grooming. You planted a tree with a 12-20 foot mature height and spread within a couple feet of your porch. If you don't plan on grooming it, you just ride that horse till it's done growing. Or if you want to leave it ungroomed, you could restable it to a place where it can grow freely.

Obviously branches that grow too far into the porch I will trim. I don’t know what grooming for bonsai is. I will shape area of the tree as needed

I admit this is kinda hard to see, with the overhanging tree limbs above/behind, but this is my 9 years in ground American Fringe Tree, which clocks in about twelve feet high.