Common Name: glory-bower
Type: Deciduous shrub
Family: Lamiaceae
Native Range: Southeast Asia
Zone: 8 to 11
Height: 6.00 to 13.00 feet
Spread: 4.00 to 10.00 feet
Bloom Time: April to July
Bloom Description: White, Green
Sun: Part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Medium
Suggested Use: Annual
Flower: Showy
Attracts: Birds, Butterflies
Fruit: Showy
Culture
Best grown in evenly moist, rich, well-draining loams in part shade. Hardy in Zones 8-11. Frost may cause defoliation. Harder freezes will cause stem dieback, but new growth will emerge from the roots. A layer of thick winter mulch is recommended in the colder end of its hardiness range. Can be grown in a container as a houseplant. Prefers to spend summers outdoors in a lightly shaded area before being brought indoors in the fall and overwintered in a bright location.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Clerodendrum wallichii, commonly called Wallich's glory-bower, bridal veil, or nodding clerodendron, is a medium to large sized shrub native to southern Asia. Mature specimens can reach between 6-13' tall with an upright to arching, openly branched habit. The leaves are dark green, glossy, and narrowly oblong in shape, reaching up to 7" long and 1.5" wide. Pendulous clusters of small, white flowers reaching 1' long bloom seasonally (typically in autumn) from the terminal ends of the branches. The round, glossy fruits are green when young and mature to black. They are surrounded by five, bright pink sepals.
Genus name comes from the Greek words kleros meaning chance and dendron meaning a tree.
The specific epithet wallichii honors Nathaniel Wallich (1786-1854), Danish botanist who collected extensively in India during the colonial era.
Problems
No major pests or diseases of note. Scale, mealy bugs, and aphids can be problematic, especially when grown indoors.
Uses
Accent or specimen shrub for a shady, mixed border. Suitable for use in a greenhouse or conservatory. Can be grown outdoors in a container and brought indoors before the first frost.