seven son flower tree
Just when the garden is starting to feel a little autumnal, and when many trees and shrubs are telling us that they’ve done their thing (and to be honest, some are starting to look a little jaded), this handsome, seldom grown, large shrub will surely pique the curiosity of any gardener.
First things first, size matters, and I would definitely put this one in the ‘small tree’ bracket. It’s fast growing and for us is well on the way to attaining its give-or-take six metres.
This is what I see when I stand before our specimen: a showy, multi stemmed small tree with a domed crown, its glossy dark green leaves covered in prolific clusters of tiny, fragrant white flowers which may be followed (if our summer has proved hot enough) by prominent pink or burgundy calyces, further extending its season of interest. Here I must mention the very essence of this immediately attractive tree: it is the way that the foliage is arranged, in rolled-inward whorls of leaves, that give the unmistakeable effect of looking through a series of tunnels, and it is very intriguing.
Heptacodium (which belongs to the Caprifoliaceae or honeysuckle family), was discovered by Ernest Wilson in western Hubei, China in 1907, but it is a relatively recent introduction to our gardens, in the last 30 years or so. However I’m sure we’ll see more of it as it’s such an easy tree to grow: happy in most soils, very hardy and tolerant of a certain amount of shade, it doesn’t require much pruning, just a little shaping perhaps.
If your plot is small, it could be the perfect choice of a specimen tree and it will also tick the eco box as it is especially attractive to many pollinators.
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