Clerodendrum bungei

A native to China, this lovely late-flowering plant is still somewhat unusual here in England and in our opinion is one of the finest and most reliable late flowering shrubs. Clerodendrum bungei has huge corymbs (flat topped flower clusters) of rose-red, fragrant flowers throughout late summer, from August until late into October.

Clerodendrum bungei also has large, deep green leaves which have a faint fragrance. Curiously some gardeners find that the leaves smell very pleasant and similar to peanut butter, while others liken the smell to drains. A handsome, colourful garden plant!

• Position: Full sun or shade.
• Soil: Any fertile soils.
• Hardiness: Hardy. Important: Clerodendrum bungei is a semi-herbaceous shrub, in mild winters the top section of the plant will survive and in cold winters it will die back to the ground and grow from the base in the following spring.
• Flowering Period: August - October.
• Flower Colour: Reddish-pink
• Rate of Growth: Vigorous.
• Habit: A medium sized shrub, this will sucker over time. If the suckers are not removed, Clerodendrum bungei will grow to form a large clump.
  • Height: up to 2.5 m (8 ft)
  • Spread: 3 m (10 ft)

• Notes: We have a specimen of Clerodendrum bungei, planted in the arboretum surrounding our nursery. It is 10 years old and has suckered to form a thicket (3 m diameter) of single stems, each around 2 m tall.