Question
My empress tree is six months old and 10' tall. I pinched the suckers in the beginning. I was gone for six weeks. Now, I see what looks like suckers above the the large leaves with more tiny leaves and pea like buds. Do I pinch these off all the way to the top of the tree?  

Answer
Branch Pruning
Large leaves grow in pairs up your Royal Empress Trees (one on each side). Every few inches up the tree, you will see a new set. These should be left on the tree to maximize photosynthesis. These leaves will fall off later.
Above each leaf on the tree抯 stem, you will see a little bud growing. This is referred to as a 搒ucker.?It is a permanent branch trying to grow. Pinch these off until you get to the height where you want your first branches to grow. The higher you let your branches start, the higher your clearance will be under the branches.