I was also confused & finally started a program of pinching selected candles in half when they reached less than an inch.In my area this happens in March,which I found would give me needles that would be ready to show @ our local county fair in early June.I`ll show last years results in the gallery & next to it you`ll see tradition practice of cutting all candles in May,which was done by my Japanese friend.I have current pic of this years progress of cut candles ,which I can show if desired--Z--

For some reason I can't import pics this morning. If somebody sees a red laptop flying through the air, please bury it when it lands. Bboy, is the canker an issue where you are? What happens here is a canker forms on a straight stretch of branch. Then the plant sends up 3 shoots (they look like watersprouts on apple). The great majority of these break off, leaving bare trunk. I have 3 pics from yesterday, but I don't know how to post them, or even link all 3. I'll put a pic of the canker (after years of healing) in the link, the others will be cut and paste. Sorry. This is the tree from a bit of a distance. Basically, the only thing with leaves is the Hep. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/AlbusAlbuseser/Plants/DSCF4933-1.jpg?t=1367264403 This is the form of the shrub, such that it is. As an aside, I would not plant another one of these even if it were given to me free. As long as it lives, it can stay, but even a so-so Viburnum is better than this. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/AlbusAlbuseser/Plants/DSCF4933-1.jpg?t=1367264403 Here is a link that might be useful: Heptacodium canker

Did I cut into the collar of the branch that is growing out to the right (in the photos)? When I pruned I didn't remove branches; I cut the leader of each trunk because they were all sort of growing inward towards each other. How would I recognize the branch collar on a leader? Which leads to my next question: if I cut them all back (off), below the crack, I will, again, be cutting the leader. Should I look for a dormant bud and be sure to leave a bid of leader behind to prevent the cracking?

Thanks for expanding our horizons whaas! You sent me on a desktop vacation finding out more about Seven Sons Flower. Wikipedia says "The generic name of Heptacodium means 'seven flowers' (hence 'Seven Sons'), seven being the average number of flowers on a head. The specific epithet miconioides alludes to the similarities of the plant to the unrelated Meadow Beauty genus, Miconia." Looks like Heptacodium miconioides is beautiful as both a shrub and small tree. Does it have any bad habits like aggressive roots or dropping litter throughout the growing season? Barbara