A Four-Season Stunner

The plant I have for you this week is a year-round beauty in the garden! Between the leaves, the flowers, the bracts, and the bark, there isn’t a season that this plant looks dull. I’m talking about Temple of Bloom® Seven-Son Flower. 

In the spring, Temple of Bloom®’s thick, leathery green leaves emerge, then in late summer, an abundance of small fragrant white flowers appear, attracting pollinators galore – including hummingbirds. The flowers fall off as fall rolls around, leaving showy cherry-red bracts behind, creating a memorable fall display. But the show doesn’t stop there because in winter when the leaves have dropped, the distinctive peeling bark has the spotlight. 

Temple of Bloom® Seven-Son Flower thrives in full sun and isn’t too picky about soil as long as it’s well-drained. It has excellent deer resistance too! It is hardy in USDA Zones 5-9. 

This more compact Heptacodium gets just 6-10’ tall, making it the perfect plant for those who want a flowering tree in their garden but maybe don’t have the space for something that will get 15’ tall or taller. 

How to Give Temple of Bloom® its Tree Habit

You can certainly grow Temple of Bloom® as a shrub, but it is stunning when pruned into its tree form. Check out the video below, where Kristina explains and demonstrates how to train your Temple of Bloom® into a tree habit. 

Want to Learn More about Temple of Bloom® Seven-Son Flower? 

Temple of Bloom® was the featured plant on an episode of the Gardening Simplified Radio Show/Podcast. Check out the episode with Temple of Bloom® Seven-Son Flower here, or look for Gardening Simplified on your favorite podcasting platform. 

Have a wonderful weekend!