BLEEDING-HEART VINE

CLERODENDRUM THOMSONIAE

When in flower, this climbing or trailing plant is a real showstopper. Its ideal spot is a glass porch with shade in summer or a room with filtered sunlight and high humidity. Given these conditions, the bleeding-heart vine will leap up a trellis and decorate your walls like no other plant.

HEIGHT 10ft (3m)

SPREAD 5ft (1.5m)

FLOWERS Red with white calyces

FOLIAGE Green, shiny

LIGHT Filtered sun

TEMPERATURE 54–75°F (12–24°C)

CARE Fairly easy

PLACE OF ORIGIN West Africa

CARE

To achieve the bleeding-heart vine’s stunning blooms—made up of long- lasting, red flowers surrounded by dramatic, white calyces—it’s important to provide the right growing conditions.

The key to success is plenty of filtered sunlight. Plant in commercial potting mix; keep this moist, but not wet, in spring and summer. Don’t be tempted to overpot, as a tighter container will encourage more flowers, as will regular applications of a balanced fertilizer. The bicolored blooms can appear at any time of the year but are most prolific in summer. When sufficiently fed and watered, bleeding-heart vine is a vigorous grower. But don’t let this put you off, as it can be clipped to size in winter: prune it to a small size if you want to grow it as a tabletop plant or let it go free so that it will decorate a wall or tumble from a hanging basket. Cuttings from the bleeding-heart vine will root very easily if they are taken in the spring or early summer.

PROBLEM SOLVING Falling leaves in winter are normal and will soon be replaced with fresh foliage. Brown leaf tips are often due to low humidity. Remedy this by misting regularly. The bleeding-heart vine is prone to red spider mites, but the chances of an attack can be reduced by misting.

DK

Clerodendrons can be grown inside or outside during a mild summer.

DK

Flowers appear any time of year, but summer is most likely.

DISPLAY

For maximum impact and flower power, train this plant up a trellis or obelisk, or against a wall. Display it alongside other sun-loving climbers, such as paperflower and jasmine, and together they’ll cover a south-facing room with magnificent blooms. If you have a conservatory, run galvanized wires across the ceiling and the plant will climb among them.

Houseplants A–Z | BLEEDING-HEART VINE

ALSO TRY

If you’re searching for other unusual or novelty flowers then try these striking houseplants:

  • Desert pea (Swainsona formosa), height 32in (80cm). The dramatic red flowers of the desert pea resemble the claws of a lobster. This is a challenging plant to grow, but your commitment will be amply rewarded.
  • Bottlebrush flower (Callistemon citrinus), height 6ft (1.8m). This plant has spikes of distinctive red blooms. It’s easy to grow and copes well with dry air.
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