Bloomipedia
Seven-son flower (Heptacodium miconioides)
Photo: Gabriel Campbell-Martinez via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flowering shrub

Seven-son flower

Heptacodium miconioides

Seven-son flower (Heptacodium miconioides) is a shrub in the Caprifoliaceae family.

🌷 Flowering shrub

Seven-son flower is a popular flowering shrub. It's on our flower lists for 28 states.

–states where USDA records it
28Bloomipedia state lists include it
109U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 23, 2026. Planted garden shrubs are mostly excluded from research grade.

On our lists for: Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin

Quick look

Heptacodium miconioides, the seven-son flower, is a species of flowering plant. It is the sole species in the monotypic genus Heptacodium, of the honeysuckle family Caprifoliaceae. The common name "seven-son flower" is a direct translation of the Standard Chinese name 七子花 qī zi huā.

  • It belongs to the Caprifoliaceae family. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 23 research-grade sightings of it in Pennsylvania, ranking #138 among the 190 flowers on our Pennsylvania list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 17 research-grade sightings of it in New York, ranking #139 among the 193 flowers on our New York list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 14 research-grade sightings of it in Missouri, ranking #123 among the 177 flowers on our Missouri list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (12 records)
Bloom time in the 28 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
Pennsylvania🌷 Gardenfew records (2)23
New York🌷 Gardenfew records (1)17
Missouri🌷 Gardenfew records (2)14
Ohio🌷 Gardenfew records (1)9
Michigan🌷 Gardenfew records (1)6
New Jersey🌷 Gardenno flowering records6
Illinois🌷 Gardenno flowering records4
Indiana🌷 Gardenfew records (1)4
Massachusetts🌷 Gardenno flowering records4
Washington🌷 Gardenfew records (1)4
Connecticut🌷 Gardenno flowering records2
Maine🌷 Gardenno flowering records2
Virginia🌷 Gardenno flowering records2
New Hampshire🌷 Gardenno flowering records1
Colorado🌷 Gardenno flowering records1
Iowa🌷 Gardenno flowering records1
Kansas🌷 Gardenno flowering records1
Kentucky🌷 Gardenno flowering records1
North Carolina🌷 Gardenfew records (1)1
Nebraska🌷 Gardenno flowering records1
Oregon🌷 Gardenfew records (1)1
Wisconsin🌷 Gardenfew records (1)1
Maryland🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Minnesota🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Oklahoma🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Rhode Island🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Tennessee🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Vermont🌷 Gardenno flowering records0

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe
Unknown We couldn't find this name in NatureServe Explorer. NatureServe
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 23 of our 28 states.
See each state
Pennsylvania
Not listed Not on Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023). 17 Pa. Code Ch. 45
New York
Not listed Not on New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3). 6 NYCRR § 193.3
Missouri
Not listed Not on Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants. 3 CSR 10-4.111
Ohio
Not listed Not on Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024). OAC 1501:18-1-03
Michigan
Not listed Not on Michigan endangered and threatened plants (Mich. Admin. Code R 299.1028, eff. March 20, 2023). R 299.1028
New Jersey
Not listed Not on New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1). N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1
Illinois
Not listed Not on Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist. IL E&T checklist 2025
Massachusetts
Not listed Not on Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90). MESA list
Connecticut
Not listed Not on Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list). CT E/T/SC list
Maine
Not listed Not on Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories. Maine rare plant list
Virginia
Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). 2VAC5-320-10
New Hampshire
Not listed Not on New Hampshire Official Rare Plants List (Ncr 312, eff. Jan 1, 2020). NH Ncr 312
Iowa
Not listed Not on Iowa endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Iowa Admin. Code r. 571-77.3). IAC 571-77.3
Kentucky
Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). 400 KAR 3:040
North Carolina
Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). 02 NCAC 48F .0301
Nebraska
Not listed Not on Nebraska threatened and endangered species (163 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 4, § 004). 163 NAC 4-004
Oregon
Not listed Not on Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070). OAR 603-073-0070
Wisconsin
Not listed Not on Wisconsin endangered and threatened species list (Wis. Admin. Code NR 27.03). NR 27.03
Maryland
Not listed Not on Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08). COMAR 08.03.08
Minnesota
Not listed Not on Minnesota endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Minn. R. 6134.0300). Minn. R. 6134.0300
Rhode Island
Not listed Not on Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law). RI rare plants 2016
Tennessee
Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). TN rule 0400-06-02-.04
Vermont
Not listed Not on Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022). Vermont E&T list
Indiana
No list Indiana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the DNR keeps a rare plant list, but it isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Indiana ranks instead.
Washington
No list Washington has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the Washington Natural Heritage Program's rare plant list isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Washington ranks instead.
Colorado
No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead.
Kansas
No list Kansas's endangered and threatened list (K.A.R. 115-15-1) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's Kansas ranks for plants.
Oklahoma
No list Oklahoma has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Oklahoma ranks instead.

Checked October 23, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page)) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS has no state-by-state distribution for this name, so we can't map it yet.

Names, range and relatives

More from the Caprifoliaceae family (18 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Amur honeysuckle, Japanese honeysuckle, Wild teasel, Twinberry honeysuckle, Common snowberry, Pink honeysuckle, Coral honeysuckle, Twinflower.

More Pennsylvania flowers

Sources