Clerodendrum bungei (21/10/2013, Kew Gardens, London)
Position: Full sun to partial shade
Flowering period: Late summer to early autumn
Soil: Moist, well drained
Eventual Height: 2m
Eventual Spread: 2m
Hardiness: 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11
Family: Verbenaceae
Clerodendrum bungei is a deciduous herbaceous shrub with a domed habit, in the colder part of its range it will die back to ground level. Its dark green leaves are cordate with serrate margins, up to 20cm long and 15cm broad. Its fragrant dark pink flowers appear as corymbs, are up to 15cm across and appear in current years growth. Its roots produce suckers which aids this shrub’s spread.
Clerodendrum bungei Flower (21/10/2013, Kew Gardens, London)
Clerodendrum bungei, commonly known as the Glory Flower, is native to south east China. In its native habitat it grows in mixed forests and mountain slopes.
The etymological root of the binomial name Clerodendrum is from the Greek Klhros meaning ‘fortune’ and dendron meaning ‘tree’, in reference to an early name for Clerodendrum trichotomum. Bungei is named after Aleksandr Andreevic Bunge (1803–1890), a Ukrainian physician
and botanist.
The landscape architect may find Clerodendrum bungei useful as an attractive late flowering shrub, suitable for a sheltered location.
Ecologically, Clerodendrum bungei flowers are attractive to pollinating insects.
Clerodendrum bungei prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil. It dislikes dry soils.
Clerodendrum bungei Leaf (21/10/2013, Kew Gardens, London)
Clerodendrum bungei requires little maintenance. This shrub may be pruned in early winter, in colder areas where the foliage has died back, to keep a tidy appearance. Suckers may removed as they appear. Formative pruning may be carried out in March and this shrub will tolerate hard pruning once established. Pruning will also make its leaves larger.