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Heptacodium miconioides is a very attractive small tree grown for their bark and autumn flowers.
The blonde, peeling bark provides year round interest. It peels in strips along the length of the stems, revealing a deeper brown colour underneath. This creates a stunning textured look which only gets more impressive as the tree ages.
Beyond the bark, perhaps the most notable part of a Heptacodium miconioides is their flowers. In late summer, small, creamy white, fragrant flowers appear in clusters at the end of the shoots. Once their flowers have fallen (usually after the first frost), the calyx turn pink, into bright purple. These remain further into the autumn, extending its interest at this time of the year. There aren’t many things that flower at this time of the year, so they are a great food source for bees and other insects.
We clear the stems on these to make the most of the beautiful bark, creating nice rounded canopies on top. Their leaves are medium/large sized and dark green, arching down slightly. This contrasts wonderfully with the light bark and flowers. They also aren’t too fussy with most soil types, as long as it’s well draining, so they can be put almost anywhere.
Prunus serrula, Betula albosinensis ‘Fascination’ are other great small garden trees with ornamental bark.
Flowers: Prolific clusters of small fragrant white flowers from late summer to late autumn.
Fruit: N/A
Bark: Creamy beige that peels in long thin strips.
Leaves: Deciduous, dark green and elliptical.
Autumn colour: N/A
Ultimate height: 5m
Requirements: Bark interest and fragrant flowers during September which attracts bees for pollination.
The Barn, Broadley Lane, Stoke Gabriel, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 6RR
