I live in the greater Houston area, just southwest of the City. We've had the Nodding Clerodendrum several years and find it a beautiful ...Read Moreand graceful addition to our backyard (shaded) garden.
A couple of years ago, during a particularly hard freeze, it froze to the ground, but quickly recovered in the spring. In fact, we have rooted a branch from it and now have a second "nodder", which is blooming at writing.
As others have commented, the obvious appeal of this shrub is its dangling clusters of white blooms (ours are just opening)---reminiscent of grape clusters. But the bloom time is fairly short, and the foliage is large, glossy, and dark green, gorgeous year-round!
In our hot Texas sun, it thrives in full shade.
I can think of no negatives that we have experienced with this plant, and I confess to never feeding it!
Give it a try!
BTW, I do not live in the city listed, but southwest of Houston, in ROSENBERG.
This plant is the star of my October garden. What surprises me is it grown in complete shade, and blooms beautifully. Like all clerodendr...Read Moreums here, it can be a bit of a thug, but less so than some others in the genus.
I've had this in the ground for about 5 years, but in 4 of those years it has been frosted back to the ground during the winter. Still, i...Read Moret usually gets enough growth finished by fall to bloom - and the flowers are always commented upon by visitors, as they are quite elegant against the glossy dark green foliage.
Nodding Clerodendrum is a tall shrub or small tree that does well in my outside garden. It is planted where it gets partial morning shade...Read More, and is shaded almost all winter.
The foliage is a deep dark green, with the leaves being deeply veined and about 5" long. The branches and stems are quite brittle, any traffic near this one will result in snaps to the branches and stems. It takes well to lifting, exposing the jagged branching of the trunks.
Around thanksgiving, long clusters of buds form at the terminus of the branches. As the white flowers open, they hang down in clusters. When in bloom, like most clerodendrums, the display is striking, bringing many pollinaters to the garden. The flowers have no discernable scent. Flowering is very short.
The fruit that floows is also quite striking. The green 1/4" berries are framed by a star. As the berries ripen, the star turns bright red, while the berries stay green. This results in a seasonal display made just for Christmas!
I live in the greater Houston area, just southwest of the City. We've had the Nodding Clerodendrum several years and find it a beautiful ...Read More
this plant grows beautifully in deep shade and blooms from October til the first frost
This plant is the star of my October garden. What surprises me is it grown in complete shade, and blooms beautifully. Like all clerodendr...Read More
I've had this in the ground for about 5 years, but in 4 of those years it has been frosted back to the ground during the winter. Still, i...Read More
Nodding Clerodendrum is a tall shrub or small tree that does well in my outside garden. It is planted where it gets partial morning shade...Read More