Whether you take those off or not, it needs a much bigger pot than the one its in if you want it to be healthy enough to plant out next year. Certainly repot in autumn even if you don't want to do it now - make it a pot twice the size of that one.

Hi Bamboo, I only repotted it yesterday into a pot twice the size of the last one so I assume it's ok to leave it in there for now? I will certainly repot it later in the year though :)

I guessed it was newly potted, the compost looks pristine! But yes, do it again in autumn, so it can develop a good root system... Not bad for a free tree, is it, well done.

There are alot of superstitions atached to this tree, in the old days, they were planted on the lefthand side of the gatepost to bring the house good luck and were planted at the bottom of the garden to ward off witches, and apparently you should never cut a rowen down for impending doom may follow, as well as taking rowan wood into the house, i once worked on a farm and to protect the calves in the outbuildings from viral pnumonia in the winter, twigs of rowan were placed on each doorway, that said i think its a lovely tree that has great autumn colour and lovely berries, julien.

Good lord, never knew any of that, well, except a vague idea that there's some connection with witches and rowans. Glad I'm not superstitious...

Oh how strange, I was told (and did) plant Rowan at bottom of garden to ward of witches and to left of house gate for goodluck. What a small world!

I'm not seeing "lower branches", only leaves. You definitely don't want to take off leaves!