Heptacodium is a fall-blooming, fragrant shrub that's indestructible

It's easy to find spring flowering shrubs, but it's wonderful to grow something like Heptacodium miconioides. It's starting to bloom right now. Photo by Doug Oster

 The native of China is actually extinct in the wild, but is making its way into more gardens.

It's the perfect plant for a woodland garden, coming into bloom in late August, early September.

Heptacodium is carefree and thrives in average garden soil. I mulch mine with a compost-based material which releases nutrients during the rains.

This is no one-trick pony, though. The white flowers are followed by beautiful purplish fruits. It also has a nice tan-colored exfoliating bark, which makes for great winter interest.

Heptacodium is a fast grower, reaching 15-20 feet tall and about 10 feet around in several years. I've had this shrub in the garden for three seasons and it's already eight feet tall and wide.

The common name is Seven Son Flower.

It's so nice to have something coming into bloom right now.

Heptacodium is one of my favorite shrubs this time of the year.