🌸 Know Your Trees: Seven Son Flower

Botanical Name: Heptacodium miconioides
Type: Large shrub / small tree
Native to: China
Season Highlight: Late summer to early fall

🌿 Description

The Seven Son Flower is a showstopper in late summer and early fall, when clusters of small, fragrant white flowers bloom in whorls of seven, followed by striking rosy-pink calyces (the part that remains after the petals drop — like the ones in your photo). These colorful bracts give the illusion of a second bloom just as most landscapes are winding down.

Its bark exfoliates attractively in winter, revealing shades of tan and brown, providing four-season interest — an excellent landscape specimen for Kansas yards.

🌼 Growing Conditions

• Sun: Full sun to part shade

• Soil: Moist, well-drained, adaptable to clay and loam

• Water: Moderate; drought-tolerant once established

• Height/Spread: 15–20 ft tall, 8–12 ft wide

• Hardiness: USDA Zones 5–8 (perfect for Wichita area)

💧 Care Tips

• Prune lightly in early spring to shape and encourage air flow.

• Avoid over-fertilizing; it thrives on moderate nutrients.

• Plant near patios or walkways to enjoy the fragrance and pollinator activity.