Clerodendrum Species As Flowering Potted Plants

Special Research Report: #518: Production Technology Clerodendrum species as Flowering Potted Plants Jeff S. Kuehny, Department of Horticulture, Louisiana State University AgCenter, Baton Rouge, LA 70803-2120. ___________________________________________________________________________________ above with deeply colored veins on the upper depressed veins. The surface. The flower clusters are inflorescences are in 1 foot long with many 1-inch cymes. Flowers have a white, five-petaled flowers, in large white calyx and a umbels, with very long pink FUNDING INDUSTRY SOLUTIONS crimson corolla. tubes and protruding white THROUGH RESEARCH & EDUCATION stamens. Phone: 703-838-5211 Clerodendrum E-mail: [email protected] ugandense (Figure 2) is Clerodendrum bungei (Figure Website: www.endowment.org the second most 4) is adapted to zones 8 through The Clerodendrum species researched species. It is 11 and possibly in warmer parts (>450) have a wide variety of hardy in zones 10 and of 7. The plant is invasive and traits that make them candidates 11. It attains a maximum has mostly unbranched stems for new floricultural crops. height of 9 feet, with that will grow as high as 10 Characteristics that make them leaves elliptical, faintly foot. The leaves are long attractive are variation in type toothed, dark to medium petioled, broadly ovate to 1 foot of foliage, production of many green, about 5 inches long and coarsely toothed. The inflorescences on one plant, and long, smooth and inflorescences are large, densely some flowers continuously slightly glossy. The packed (to 8 inches wide), bloom and have a short inflorescence is a corym. convex, rounded corymbs. The production cycle. These plants Flowers are almost flower bud is dark violet and be used as an indoor flowering orchid like with small opens into a five-petaled pure potted plant and planted red calyces from which pink flower. The plant suckers outdoors during the summer. A project four blue with spreading roots. review of the characteristics obovate petals and one indicated that eight species had purple-“lipped” petal. Clerodendrum phillippinum promise. Stamens are purple, and (Figure 5) is adapted to zones 9 recurved projecting through 11. It is a medium-sized Clerodendrum thomsoniae upward. shrub growing to 10 feet. The (Figure 1) is the primary species stems are seldom branched like that has been used in the trade Clerodendrum C. bungei and suckers like C. and grown as a flowering potted quaduloculare (Figure bungei, but is not invasive. The plant and patio plant. It is a 3) is hardy in zones 10b dark green leaves are about 1 twining, vine-like scrub and is and 11. The shrub grows foot across, ovate to triangular, considered a day-neutral plant. to 20 feet and may be pubescent and deeply veined. It is hardy in zones 10 and 11. trained to a small tree The fragrant inflorescences are It is also grown in zone 9 where form. The underside of in densely flowered terminal it is often root hardy. It is the leaves and stems are clusters with each flower commonly called the “bleeding- reddish-purple, foot long shaped like a small rose, ivory heart vine”. The leaves are lanceolate to ovate- to peach blush. ovate, elliptic or oblong-ovate, lanceolate and dark 6 or 7 inches long and glossy green with lighter Clerodendrum speciosissimum (Figure 6) is root hardy in zone 9a, relatively dependable in 9b, and hardy in zones 10 and 11. Leaves are ovate to 1 foot long, cordate entire or toothed and densely pubescent. Flowers are bright scarlet and form on terminal panicles 1.5 ft (0.5m) long. Figure 1. C. thomsoniae. Clerodendrum paniculata Figure 6. C. speciosissimum. (Figure 7) is commonly known as the “pagoda flower”. It grows in zones 9 through 11 and reaches 6 to 8 feet with leaves that are a foot wide, orbicular to ovate with deeply depressed veins. Flowers are carmine to scarlet and appear all Figure 2. C. ugandense. year in 18 inch long, densely flowered terminal panicles that resemble a Chinese pagoda. Flowers consist of a 3 inch tube, which ends in a 2 inch wide fan of petals. Figure 7. C. paniculata. Clerodendrum wallichii Figure 3. C. (Figure 8) is “Wallich’s Glory quaduloculare. Bower”. It grows in zones 7B through 9B and reaches 6 to 10 feet tall in its native habitat. It has elliptical, dark green, leaves that are about 5 inch long, with Figure 6. C. wallichii. a rough texture and rather Figure 4. C. bungei. glossy. The inflorescence is a corym and the photoperiod of For additional information this species is not known. contact Jeff S. Kuehny at Flowers are almost orchid like [email protected]. with small white calyces from which project four white 2006 January © Copyright obovate petals and another American Floral Endowment. “lipped” petal. Stamens are All Rights Reserved. white, and recurved projecting upward. Figure 5. C. phillippinum. .

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