Seven Son Shrub

Does anyone have a mature one of these? Would like to know what you think of it. I picked one of these up a few weeks ago at a small box store from their leftover nursery plants. It appeared to be dead, only had a few dead leaves left on it. I am trying to revive it, and think it is going to come back from the roots. I know nothing about these, so any advice, or opinions would be greatly appreciated!

I have a small one so can't help you out on the question about mature ones, but I don't believe they're hardy in zone 3...I think the lower end of their hardiness range is 5a so I don't know that it'll do well in your area.

I thought they were not real hardy here, but only spent 50 cents on it, and thought I would try it. Was hoping if I gave it some protection, maybe?! But I've kept a palownia tree alive for 2 winters, so hoping. Are they fast growing?

Mine hasn't grown fast but I just planted it last fall and a lot of times things don't take off during their first year in the ground. I'm also pretty stingy with water in the garden so a lot of things don't grow as fast as they might if I watered them more frequently. If your Paulownia has survived maybe this would have a chance, could be you've got some interesting microclimate thing going on that makes at least some parts of your yard a warmer zone (or maybe the last couple winters have just been mild). Since you only spent 50 cents it's definitely worth experimenting!

LOL! Well, I think I do have some microclimate areas in my yard, but it sure wasn't because of the winter being mild. Last year was one of the worst on record! I kinda like zone pushing, tho. And I figure if I can get it established, maybe? The palownia tree is moving to my DM this fall. She has always wanted one, and here it freezes back to the ground every year, and then comes back from the roots. I don't think it will ever be a tree, more like a bush, so it gets moved to a zone 5 instead. I'm thinking I'll try a magnolia tree there instead. LOL! What kind of growing environment does the Seven Son like? What kind of soil do you have yours in?

I don't know for sure what the best conditions are for them--mine is in clay soil (but on a hill so its feet don't stay wet) and gets sun most of the day. It doesn't seem super happy (probably because it's not as well established as most of the garden, so my watering really isn't ideal for it), but it's still hanging in there so I'm hoping it'll do better next year once it's established a bit better.

Thanks for the info. Our soil is heavy clay and rocks and right now I have mine in a big pot. I didn't want to dig a hole in that hard ground until I was sure it was even going to live. I'll have to do some more checking and see if I can find what kind of conditions it prefers. Was planning on it going in sun here too, on a very gradual slope.

Mine is approaching 20 feet tall. It has thrived on a slope that was clay and rocks; I did put compost in the planting hole and have built a top layer of compost/topsoil on the slope and planted various things to prevent erosion. The heptacodium is one of the most successful things I have put there. This was July, 2008:

It grew very quickly from maybe 2-3 feet tall. It receives partial shade. I have mulched the ground around it to further prevent erosion on such a steep bank:

You can get a context of the setting from this faraway shot in May, 2007. The Heptacodium is at the farthest corner from the camera.

Wow, passiflora, that is a very pretty tree! I love the bark on these. Is yours flowering yet? Are the flowers very fragrant? Mine will be in full sun, more than likely. I amend all the planting holes here too. Not much else we can do! LOL! Can't change all the subsoil, so amend when we plant. Clay and rocks are so wonderful, aren't they? :-( I usually dig the holes about twice as big as recommended, hoping that will give them a little easier growing room for roots, but usually have to have a breaking bar to dig holes with. Shovels just don't cut it here. At least our rocks are soft and break relatively easily. Kind of a shale type, for the most part. You have done a wonderful job with your hillside! That is very pretty!

That slope was very eroded with exposed rocks next to the fence; I had to do something with it. Most people would probably advise a retaining wall but I wanted to try something else and so far I am pleased.

It has just finished flowering-- the flowers are not fragrant. Most of the flowers are at the top of the tree and so are not that conspicuous in my situation. The bark is the best thing--beautiful in winter time. And the hardiness has been a big plus. No pests and no sign of deer browsing (deer routinely chomp on other things on that slope).

I reviewed my notes and see that I planted that tree in February 2002. I don't recall where I bought it but it was a skinny little thing I do remember-- and it has not received any special treatment.

My seven son's tree is just finishing flowering also.
The flowers aren't super spectacular, in my opinion.
But the peeling white bark is nice.
And it certainly grows fast in our climate.

Skellogg, I have to correct myself--
I still have blooms. The upper part of the tree has bloomed and now the lower branches are blooming. They are not very conspicuous flowers, but they are nice, especially this time of year when other flowers have gone.

That was another reason I wanted to try this tree. I love the fall flowering, as all the other flowering trees I have flower in the spring (fruit trees). And I love the peeling bark. I did go back to the store where I got this, and asked them for more info on it. They dug around and found a tag for it, states hardy to -30 , zone 4-8, recommends some winter protection for zone 4, full sun, height 10-20 ft, spread 10-20, attracts birds, fragrant, blooms Aug and Sept. So, we will see how it does! I'll mulch it good for a few years, assuming it lives.