should I or shouldn't I top this Mauritius Lychee tree

[boxturtle]

I bought this lychee tree during late fall of 2016 and put it in ground almost right away.   I pruned away all the cross branchings and dead branches when I got it.  It's now stands about 3 and half ft tall almost four feet.  the girth of the tree is about 1.5 inches and 2inches at the biggest node.   Current main branches is all weird and leaning to the left.  I didn't notice this until I took away the support stick.   So my question is should I top it down to the node which is about a foot and half up the ground where you can see a bit of new growth or should I let it be and let it do its thing?  I don't want this tree to be over 15ft in the future. 

[Cookie Monster]

It's flowering. I would let it fruit.

Just stake it again. The tree will eventually harden off in the staked position (after a year or two).

[boxturtle]

It's flowering. I would let it fruit.

Just stake it again. The tree will eventually harden off in the staked position (after a year or two).

Jeff ,

I'm planning to cut off the panicles this year so the tree can focus on growing.  I already have a sweetheart that I will let fruit.  I will let the Mauritius fully bloom so it can cross pollenate with my sweetheart. Once it does then I prune off panicles. 

[OCchris1]

I wouldn't top the lychee. If it survived the beheading, it would take forever to form a decently shaped tree...let alone fruit. I agree with Cookie. Chris

[Viking Guy]

I wouldn't top a lychee unless it was to save its life.

Shape can be fixed with proper staking.  I once saved a pear tree with a 2 inch caliper and shaped like the letter "C."

It took some strong ground stakes and rope, but with enough steady pull, the heavy arc was fixed after 2 years and it now stands straight.

Yours isn't that thick and looks fixable in the same fashion.

[FruitFreak]

Let it grow! and tie/stake as previously mentioned.  Severe pruning little lychee might put it over the edge.

[boxturtle]

thanks all I won't top it and leave it as is 

[simon_grow]

That tree is very small with very little foliage so I agree with the others to not prune now. With Lychees, you really want to let it grow and establish a decent canopy that can later protect the inner canopy from wind damage. Mauritius grows really well around my area, it seems to tolerate higher pH soils.

Simon