Heptacodium miconioides Temple of Bloom - Seven-son Tree

Heptacodium miconioides Temple of Bloom is a beautiful selection from a little-known Chinese tree nicknamed the Seven Son Flower Tree. Its moderate growth, with earlier flowering than the botanical species, should see it welcomed into modern gardens where space is often limited. Remarkable in more ways than one, this Temple of Bloom variety has a graceful, spreading habit and a long, fragrant flowering period in colours ranging from white to pink and then to red, as well as decorative bark. In the garden it is undemanding about soil type and perfectly resistant to European winters, despite its pleasantly exotic appearance.

Heptacodium miconioides 'Temple of Bloom' belongs to the Caprifoliaceae family and is a cousin of honeysuckles. It is a recent horticultural creation. Its wild ancestor, sometimes called Heptacodium jasminoides, is native to the Chinese provinces of Anhui, Hubei, and Zhejiang. In nature it is found on cliffs, in scrub vegetation and in forests, on rich, well-drained soils, between 600 and 1000 m (1900 and 3200 ft 10 in) above sea level. 'Temple of Bloom' easily forms multiple trunks, giving it its divergent, slightly spreading habit. At the age of 10 it reaches about 1.80 m (6 ft) in height with a spread of 1.50 m (5 ft). Its bark is salmon-beige and gradually peels off, producing a very attractive marbled effect. Its young reddish-brown branches are slightly downy. They bear cordate-based, pointed, leathery leaves, slightly hairy, measuring 8 to 15 cm (3 to 6 in) long and 5 to 9 cm (2 to 3.5 in) wide. This Temple Bloom variety begins flowering between late July and late August, depending on the climate, and continues until September-October. The inflorescence is a pyramidal panicle measuring up to 15 cm (6 in) long and 9 cm (3.5 in) wide. Each small white flower is surrounded by bracts that vary in size and shape. The flowers are fragrant, small white stars whose calyx and bracts turn pink and then red as they fade, so they remain decorative until the first frost. The fruits are 1 cm (0.4 in) achenes, with a hairy appearance. The deciduous foliage falls in autumn and regrows early in spring.

The Temple of Bloom Seven Son Flower Tree can be planted either as a standalone specimen or at the front of a bed of tall shrubs, to enjoy its beauty throughout the seasons. You can also plant it in the centre of a small bed, taking care not to hide its decorative trunks. To accompany it choose e.g. dwarf conifers with discreet elegance, a lilac or a small Abelia, and low-growing grasses like Pennisetum. A carpet of Liriopes, Ophiopogons, or Japanese grass will perfectly enhance this shrub.

A little history: Heptacodium miconioides was imported from China in the early 20th century; forgotten about, it was then rediscovered in the 1980s in a Belgian garden. Dedicated to Courson in the 1990s, it is still relatively uncommon in gardens.