SafePlants

Clerodendrum speciosum: The Red Bleeding Heart Vine

Clerodendrum speciosum, also known as Red Bleeding Heart Vine or Java Glory Vine, is a captivating flowering plant admired for its vibrant blooms.

Considerations for Pets and Children

• This plant is often grown as a vine, so be aware of stems when grown around pets or children.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Clerodendrum speciosum
• Synonym: Clerodendrum delectum, Clerodendrum poggei (as Clerodendrum speciosum Grke), *Clerodendrum speciosum* Drapiez is an unresolved name
• Common Names: Red Bleeding Heart Vine, Java Glory Vine, Bleeding Heart, Glorybower, Bagflower
• Family: Lamiaceae (formerly Verbenaceae/Labiatae)
• Class: Dicotyledons
• Order: Lamiales

Distribution and Habitat

• Originates from Western Africa.
• Commonly found in tropical gardens and old Florida landscapes.
• Cultivated in Hawaii, specifically at UH Manoa, Oahu.

Morphology and Growth Habits

• A strong climber with vining stems.
• Known for its clusters of red flowers that emerge from pinkish-white bracts throughout summer and autumn.
• The red-violet flowers and calyxes are a notable feature, especially in hybrids like *C. speciosum*.
• Described as an easy tropical or perennial vine.

Additional Information

• Clerodendrum speciosum is sometimes considered an interspecific hybrid, possibly between Clerodendrum splendens and Clerodendrum thomsoniae.
• It is known as a "true everbloomer" with abundant lipstick-red flowers at the tips of its vining stems.

Further Resources

• Tropicos database.
• WCSP: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families in the Catalogue of Life.
• GRIN Taxonomy checklist.
• The Plant List.
• IPNI (International Plant Names Index).
• Australian Plant Name Index.
• NYBG (New York Botanical Garden) Virtual Herbarium.
• National Agricultural Library.
• Rogers Trees and Shrubs.
• Wikimedia Commons.