Bleeding Heart Vine – Flowering plants

Bleeding Heart Vine an evergreen vine or shrub with a twining growth habit, growing up to 4 m tall. It has smooth, dark green glossy leaves that are elliptic with whole leaf edge, measuring up to 15 cm long and 7 cm wide. Leaves are deeply veined and have a long pointed tip. Leaf base is obtuse or rounded. Leaves are arranged oppositely along the stem. The blooms are produced in cymes of 8-20 together, each blossom with a pure white to pale purple five-lobed calyx 2.5 cm in diameter, and a red five-lobed corolla 2 cm long and in diameter. Fruits are drupe-like, black. Seeds oblong.

Scientific classification:

Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Clerodendrum
Species: C. thomsoniae

Scientific Name: Clerodendrum thomsoniae
Common Names: Bleeding Heart Vine, Bleeding Glory Bower, Bag Flower, Beauty Bush, Glory Bower.

How to grow and maintain Bleeding Heart Vine (Clerodendrum thomsoniae):

Light:
It thrives best in bright indirect light. Bleeding heart is a prolific bloomer when it gets enough sunlight. It blooms heavily in
spring and summer. If it doesn’t bloom much, move it to where it will get more light from a south- or west-facing window.

Soil:
It grows best in well-drained soil, rich in organic material.

Water:
Water regularly, keep soil evenly moist spring through fall, while bleeding heart plant is growing and flowering. During winter water sparingly, but do not let it dry out completely.

Temperature:
It prefers average to warm temperature 65°F – 85°F / 18°C – 29°C year-round.

Fertilizer:
Fertilize every two weeks spring and summer with a high-phosphorus liquid fertilizer diluted by half.

Propagation:
It can be easily propagated by seed and stem cuttings. Take three inches stem tip cuttings in spring and root in equal parts all-
purpose potting mix and perlite.

Pests and Diseases:
Bleeding Heart Vine has no serious pest or disease problems. Watch for mealybugs and spider mites.