The Hummingbird-Attracting Tree You'll Want To Add To Your Yard In Early Spring

Filling your yard with nectar-filled flowers is perhaps the best way to attract more pollinators. But if you don't know why your hummingbird-friendly flower garden isn't working, you might try growing the seven-son flower (Heptacodium miconioides). Originally native to China, it is an exceptional choice for a hummingbird garden that you can plant in early spring. Despite its common name, this plant is a large, multi-stemmed shrub that grows anywhere between 15 and 25 feet tall when mature. Although the seven-son flower is now rare in the wild, it has been grown in the U.S. since the Arnold Arboretum started propagating it in 1980. Today, it grows well in the U.S. from hardiness zones 5 through 9. 

Any gardener wanting to learn how to start a pollinator garden should prioritize plants that attract a variety of pollinators. This shrub's white, fragrant flowers are an important source of nectar for not only hummingbirds but also monarch butterflies in the fall. The changing appearance of the seven-son flower through all four seasons, plus its adaptability in different-sized yards and landscapes, make it a good choice for urban or rural yards. With heavy, dedicated pruning, this versatile shrub can be grown as a small tree with single or multiple trunks. When manipulated in this way, it can be a great choice for a patio to invite hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies close to your home.

To successfully grow a seven-son flower in your own yard, it's vital that you time it right. If you wait too long, this shrub will not have time to establish its roots before summer hits. Aim to transplant them by early spring so that they can avoid the heat. Otherwise, you will need to wait until fall for cooler temperatures. Ideally, choose a site with moist, acidic soil. But this moderate to fast-growing shrub will tolerate dry or alkaline spots in your yard. You can achieve the best blooms to attract hummingbirds by planting it in partial to full sun and avoiding too much shade.

You have a lot to look forward to in your hummingbird garden when you plan ahead. By early summer, you will see buds forming on the branches. The seven-son flower eventually blooms from late August to mid-September, displaying tiny white flowers in clusters with the seventh flower emerging from the middle. But this plant is just getting started because once the flowers mature, the outer part of the flower turns a beautiful rose-purple. This color lasts through late fall, and by winter the bark of the tree takes its turn in the spotlight. As the outer layer of grayish-tan bark peels away, the multicolored, lighter patches that are revealed make this a plant that will bring color to your yard during drab winters.