Starburst Clerodendrum (Clerodendrum quadriloculare) is a beautiful flowering ornamental shrub that brings vibrant flower clusters and colorful foliage to any garden. Clerodendrum includes over 450 species of evergreen or deciduous trees, shrubs and climbers that are suited to warmer climates and tropical regions in the Eastern Hemisphere. The Starburst is native to New Guinea and the Phillipines.
The Starburst Clerodendrum is a fast growing shrub and can be trained to a standard tree form as well. The leaves of this plant are dark green on the top side and burgundy on the bottom side. As if the colorful foliage wasn’t enough, it has softball size clusters of blooms that range in colors of white, pink and salmon. It blooms intensely between January and April making it a nice flowering specimen in a tropical garden and the blooms attract hummingbirds and some butterfly species.
This plant needs full sun for the best flowering. However, it will bloom in partial shade, just not as much and the flowering period will be shorter. It will need plenty of water to get established, but once it is established it will be moderately drought tolerant. After its intense flowering stage, the Starburst can be heavily pruned to keep it shaped.
Colorful foliage, bountiful blooms and attracts butterflies – what more could you want from the beautiful Starburst Clerodendrum.
This column is a joint effort by all at In The Garden, a Sanibel garden center located at 3889 Sanibel Captiva Rd, Sanibel, Florida.