Nurturing a family of showstoppers!

Gardening is a journey that begins with curiosity and grows with experience. You don’t need botanical knowledge to create an interesting garden. Often, the most rewarding gardens are those that evolve organically, shaped by personal experiences, chance encounters, and the simple joy of discovering new plants.

Years ago, a social media post caught my attention — a plant with enormous leaves and clusters of white flowers. It instantly transported me back to my younger days. I remembered these blossoms standing tall among weeds on sidewalks and vacant lots, their sweet scent filling the air. With increasingly vanishing sidewalks, I had not seen it in recent years. Most fellow gardener friends recognised it but did not have this plant with them. My initial search through local nurseries proved fruitless. It did feel a bit surreal that what used to be a very common plant before wasn’t found anywhere now.

Expanding my hunt to the web, I finally found it in an online plant nursery. Let me describe this intriguing plant. It is a slender shrub that produces clusters of 15-20 white flowers at its crown, which resembles a multilayered jasmine or rose. The blooms emit a mild and sweet fragrance. Notable identifying features are the long stamens and the brightly coloured maroon calyces that persist even after the flower has fallen, adding to the plant’s ornamental value. The plant is botanically known as Clerodendrum chinense (syn. C. fragrans or C. philippinum). Locally it is called Madras Malli, Hazar Mogra, or Honolulu Rose. It is also referred to as Glory Bower. I am sure you know that many flowers are locally labelled jasmine or rose because of their appearance, colour, or fragrance, though they may not belong to the Jasminum or Rosa genus.

Clerodendrum chinense spreads through sucker roots wherever it pleases, which is also the reason it was widely found in the open. As soil vanished under asphalt and concrete, the plants could no longer spread and so they disappeared.

The Clerodendrum family has several notable members that showcase the diversity within this genus. For instance, the Bleeding Heart, Clerodendrum thomsoniae is a twining woody vine featuring white bracts, red petals, and protruding long stamens. It makes an excellent patio plant.

When we created our garden, this was my first preference. As the flowers age, the calyx develops a pinkish tinge, adding to the plant’s visual interest. The combination of the stamen with the red flowers makes it look like drops of blood, hence the common name.

Another striking member of the family is Clerodendrum paniculatum, often referred to as the Pagoda flower. I first encountered this stunning plant while travelling in Shillong. Its unique form immediately captivated me, inspiring me to add it to my own garden collection. True to its name, this plant produces towering orange-red inflorescences that resemble vivid oriental pagodas.

Clerodendrum smithianum, aptly named Light Bulb plant, is another showstopper. When in full bloom, its cascading flowers look like a chandelier, shining even in dark corners of the garden. Most Clerodendrum species prefer partial to full sunlight and benefit from occasional
pruning to maintain shape and encourage bushier growth. Fertilising during the growing season can promote more abundant blooming.

When incorporating Clerodendrum into garden designs, vining species like Bleeding Heart can be trained on trellises or allowed to scramble over fences. Shrub forms like the Glory Bower make excellent backdrop plants or focal points in mixed borders. The Pagoda flower, with its dramatic inflorescences, can serve as a marvellous centrepiece in themed gardens.

I had no idea about the botanical connections of these plants when I first added them to my garden. But now, with the Glory Bower, Pagoda flower, and Light Bulb plants thriving in my yard, I’ve come to appreciate the diversity and beauty of this fascinating family. I do think often that it is not simply the plants we grow that matter, it is the
tales and experiences they bring into our lives that enrich us.

Motley Garden is your monthly kaleidoscopic view into a sustainable garden ecosystem.

The author believes gardening is more than just cultivating plants. It’s also about the bees, butterflies, insects, flies, and bugs that make the garden their home. She posts on social media as @all_things_in_my_garden