Clerodendrum Splendens

Gardening: A vigorous, evergreen climber, native of tropical Africa; stem slender, woody, glabrous angled. It is a quick – growing heavy climber, producing many large clusters of scarlet flowers during the winter months, and is very suitable on arches, pergolas, walls or any other strong support. Cleaning of dead shoots and pruning of weak and interlaced growth should be done after flowering is over. The plant grows and flowers well in sun and semi – shade. It is also grown in pot and ground and prefers partial shade.

Clerodendrum Splendens  is a species of flowering plant in the genus Clerodendrum of the family Lamiaceae, native to tropical west Africa from Cameroon west to Senegal. It is an evergreen liana growing to 4 m (13 ft) tall, with ovate to oblong leaves 817 cm (37 in) cm long.

The flowers are produced in cymes of 8-20 together, each flower with a pure white to pale purple five-lobed calyx 2.5 cm in diameter, and a red five-lobed corolla 2 cm long and in diameter. The flowers are born in cymose inflorescences arising from the axils of the leaves.

Planting And Care

• Extremely dry soil causes plant to drop its leaves, while consistently wet soil may cause root or stem rot.
• Water only when the soil becomes dry, once every week for outdoor plants.
• The plant requires re-potting only once every three or four year.

Care

• Sunlight-Needs bright sunlight for almost 4 to 5 hrs.
• Watering-Susceptible to rot, so water only when completely dry.
• Soil- Place in a light, well-drained compost.
• Temperature-For ideal growing conditions, plants grown indoors need temperatures of 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit during the night and 85 degrees during the day.
• Fertilizer Implement a balanced liquid fertilizer on a monthly basis between spring and summer.