Bleeding Heart Vine

Bleeding Heart Vine

There are over 400 species of clerodendrums, including climbers, shrubs, herbaceous plants and trees, and they are mostly from warm climates. Many, like the Bleeding Heart Vine, have very showy flowers.

Plant details

Common name: Bleeding Heart Vine

Botanic name: Clerodendrum thomsoniae
Description: Evergreen twiner native to Western Tropical Africa, reaching to about 3m (10') in height. It has glossy, dark green oval leaves, and deep crimson petals emerging from hanging clusters of white, heart-shaped calyces.

Best climate: Brisbane, the tropics and warm microclimates in Perth and Sydney. It is frost tender. If plants are damaged by frost, burnt tips and leaves should be left on the plant until spring and then cut away to make way for vigorous new growth.

Uses:

non-invasive climber for a fence, pergola or trellis indoor plant for brightly lit conservatory or sunroom bold, eye-catching flowers provide colour for much of the year

Good points:

long flowering
attractive evergreen foliage
striking crimson and white flowers

Downside:

Cold sensitive, so only suitable as a garden plant in the warmer areas of Australia.

Care:

Clerodendrums grown in the garden like a well-drained soil, rich in organic material. They will tolerate full sun with adequate moisture but prefer partial shade. They need protection from strong winds, hot sun and frost. Indoor plants need a warm, bright spot with plenty of water in the growing season. To maintain humidity around the plant, stand the pot on a tray of moist pebbles and mist frequently. If a more compact plant is wanted, pinch out the growing tips in winter. If the plant has repeated pest problems such as scale, mealy bug or two-spotted mite, it is probably not getting enough light or is moisture stressed.

Getting started:

Bleeding Heart Vine is available from nurseries and garden centres. Plants in 200mm (8") pots cost $16-$20. It can also be propagated from cuttings in early summer.

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