Advice Needed for Newly Planted Crepe Myrtle Tree

[jkrueger2020]

Over Thanksgiving, I planted a crepe myrtle tree in my yard and have a concern about how to handle a problem I'm seeing with the tree. I would appreciate some advice from those who have experience with crepe myrtles.

As you can see from the photos below, there are 4 main trunks coming out of the root ball. Two of those trunks, however, were allowed to grow right next to each other and are touching. From my limited research, I've heard that it's not good to allow branches to touch each other as this can potentially allow disease to infest the tree when the branches rub against each other.

My question is, should I allow all 4 trunks to live? Or do I need to chop one of the two trunks are touching and if so, do you have a recommendation as to which one I keep?

Thanks in advance,

Jonathan

Here are 4 photos from various viewpoints:

[hendi_alex]

It is my opinion via experience that one can do most anything to a crepe myrtle without harming the tree. Ours tend to send up an endless number of shoots from the ground, shoots that if left on their own would transform the tree into more of a multi stemmed large bush. We select the main trunks to provide the scaffolding that we would like the tree achieve. If mine, I would select the growth to keep and trim other low limbs/shoots would cut any unwanted trunks to the ground. There will likely be ongoing maintenance, about once or twice per year, cutting out unwanted growth from the ground and from lower down on the main trunks.

[catgrass]

Usually, it is best to have the trunks in odd numbers. Three or five. I have several that have some crossed branches and the trees are several years old. I don't think it really hurts them too much. But as stated, maintenance on the trunks for suckers are necessary several times a year.