I think it's grown as a tree as often as a multistemmed shrub. Take a look at Google images. In pictures of the entire plant, many are tree forms.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Look at that! Oh, if I could find one with a great or straighter central leader like that. The two I found at the nursery wouldn't be good candidates for pruning to tree form, I don't think. Thanks for the inspiration, brandon7.

Aren't these just lovely plants. I ordered a 5 gallon size from Forest Farms this last Spring. I did request on my order, that if possible, to please ship a plant that could easily be trained to tree form. When it came it was about 7' tall and had 3 straight leaders. Could easily be trimmed to 1 or 2. You might try calling Forest Farm or go on line. I've purchased 4 more and probably a 1/2 dozen other shrubs from them. They are a little expensive on shipping but the plants IMHO are well worth it.

Good Luck
Alexis

I may have to go back to the nursery for a second look. Thanks for the info on Forest Farm, I'll check them out,too.

I got mine for $4 at Bluestone Perennials. It was a little bitty thing the first yr or so, but now is 6' tall - 4 yrs

I bought one about 5 years ago because it bloomed late summer into September, was fragrant and attracted hummingbirds.

This has to be the fastest growing, most resilient shrub I have ever grown. I prune it back to 4' each winter and it grows to about 12' to 15' every year! I do not fertilize it or maintain it in any way. It is grown in full sun.

It would be easy to make a tree out of it because it accepts pruning so readily and recovers so fast. Just make sure you own one of those compound pruners!

You mean they grow that fast and that tall? I didn't go back to the nursery and get one after all, I planted a Pagoda Dogwood tree instead - a very small one that I will probably never live to see to maturity. But, I still might have to find a place for this shrub. Thanks for the input.

Unless you are quite well on in years, you'll have no problem seeing your pagoda dogwood reach a large size. I have several that are 3 years old from seed and as tall as I am, about 5.5 feet! The one that was about 10 feet when we moved into our house 11 years ago is now about twice that size, probably won't get taller. They are quite fast growers unless you got one with variegated foliage. My 'Golden Shadows' have proven to be quite slow growers.

Re: the Pagoda. I bought the apppx. 2.5' potted tree at the OSU-ATI plant sale, since it was small and not really the nicest shaped tree, plus a bit unstable in the pot, they gave it to me for $15. No label, the kid just told me it was a Pagoda. Not variegated. Thanks for the hint. I hope I see some good growth several years from now.

When and how do you start training? I have one I bought last spring, and it's got very long and floppy limbs -- no single leader, but could make a nice double-trunked tree.

How should this be trained? Do I stake up the limbs, let is grow a little while longer and then try to prune it into shape? Little guy hasn't been pruned since I got him.

I also got my Seven Son from Bluestone, just planted this year. I think I'll move next year, but I plant to train into a multi stemmed tree - I only have one stem at this time.

I wonder if I need winter protection? It's only about 4" high. LOL

I found a single stemmed one at Tranquil Lake Nursery and absolutely love it. It's about 4 feet tall and I have enjoyed it since planting it mid summer. I was quite taken with the red flowers recently.

This is my first year with heptacodium. I bought a tube of it from Forest Farm back in the spring, after someone on the forum told me how fast they grow. She was speaking truth. When it arrived, I potted it into a one gallon. By summer, I put it into a five gallon pot, and now it desperately needs to go into the ground. It is amazingly fast growing. Also amazingly floppy. I tried tieing some of the branches to a stake, but that doesn't seem to be working. It may just be one of those things you have to let grow awhile and study it until the right leader makes its appearance. Its fall color is nice too. Big plus.

It won't stay floppy.