Features of the Philippine Clerodendrum and rules for its care

In the harsh winter cold, dank autumn and rainy spring, you never want the apartment to have a piece of something bright and unusual, brought from the distant tropics. This can be exactly the Philippine clerodendrum, a discreet unpretentious flower, delicate at first glance, which came to our countries from Africa, South America and Asia.

This article describes in detail the features of the Filipino clerodendrum and presents the rules for caring for this beautiful plant.

Description and history of occurrence

This is a large shrub in the wild forests of Asia reaching two meters. Straight stems end in large leaves on long stalks, reaching a length of 14 to 17 centimeters. A heart-shaped leaf in the shape of a heart is framed by denticles along the edges and has a rich emerald color. When touched, you will notice that the sheet seems velvet. The shoot crowns a large inflorescence (about 20 cm) of a dozen light pink or white flowers resembling tiny peonies.

This flower was first mentioned in ancient Rome as a sacrifice to Venus, the goddess of love. Young people believed that in exchange for this gift, the goddess would give them true love. However, it was described only in the XVII century by the botanist John Volkamer, in whose honor he received his name. Now it’s difficult to say exactly where it came from, because in the wild it grows around the globe in a tropical climate, in countries such as Congo, China and Mexico.

Grade Features

REFERENCE! Fragrant Volkameria, or Filipino clerodendrum, is one of 400 species of the genus Clerodendrum, distinguished from the rest by its unpretentiousness, long and flowering.

In the distinguishing features of this variety, you can add velvet leaves and light pink flowers, sharply smelling of jasmine. Also from its counterparts, the Filipino clerodendrum differs in that its stamens are not set far beyond the petals, but are reliably hidden under them.

Photo

Next, we offer to see a photo of how the plant looks:

How to plant?

The soil

For better plant growth, it is best to mix turf, humus and sand in equal proportions, which will remind the flower of its tropical roots.

ATTENTION! It is necessary to ensure that the soil is constantly slightly moist, so as not to flood, but also not to dry, use drainage. The plant does not need constant feeding, but in the summer, with increased absorption of water, it is worth fertilizing clerodendrum once every two weeks.

Lighting and location

The thermophilic and photophilous tropical flower should be placed on the south or southeast side, but try not to place it under direct sunlight, then it will fade much faster, and the leaves may turn yellow. There is a lot of light for clerodendrum, as well as humidity. To keep the flowers resilient and resistant, spray them with plain water in the summer and wipe the leaves with a damp towel in winter.

Home Care

Clerodendrum does not need constant monitoring, but it needs some care. You need to monitor the plant and try not to harm. Most often, clerodendrum can be purchased in the form of a stalk, in which case it is worth putting it in water at room temperature or a very humid humus until the stalk takes root, after which it can only be transplanted into a pot.

If you bought an adult shoot, then you need to find a suitable place for it - at a comfortable temperature and sufficient, but not excessive light. For complete comfort, you can put the flower in a flat tank of water in a warm place to increase humidity.

In dry summer weather, it is worth watering the clerodendrum once every 5 days, in winter it should be done twice less - every 10. But you need to constantly monitor the soil. If a couple of days are left before the planned watering, and the land is already dry, it is worth watering - drought is bad for a tropical plant.

Before the flowering period, which usually occurs from the beginning of spring to the end of autumn, the plant should be fertilized. It is worth using different top dressings so that Clerodendrum gets all the substances necessary for proper growth. In the spring, it is worth trimming the plants, giving them the shape that you like. In winter, you can give the plant a month to rest and discard old leaves, putting it in a cool place.

What diseases and insects can be harmful?

A resistant plant is almost not susceptible to disease, the most common ailment is root rot, which appears with too generous watering. The roots do not have time to absorb a large amount of water and begin to rot. Then the plant itself becomes more lethargic and yellow. Soil should be changed and damaged roots trimmed by fertilizing clerodendrum.

Pests also rarely touch a flower, and yet sometimes red ticks and scale insects attack it. At the first damage, all plants should be treated, and especially damaged areas with warm water, and special insect repellents must also be used.

Breeding

Clerodendrum can propagate both by seeds and by cuttings. Carrodendrum seeds are planted no earlier than February, but no later than March in a richly moistened substrate of sod and silt. Seeds should be placed in greenhouse conditions - constant humidity, sufficiently high temperature and constant lighting. But you must not forget to let the seeds breathe sometimes.

After a couple of months, shoots will appear, and as soon as the growth grows 4 leaves, it is worth transplanting into a separate glass, deep, but not wide. As clerodendrum grows, capacity is also worth increasing. The cuttings are cut only in the spring from the main stem, while it must have at least 3 nodes. Planted it in greenhouse conditions, with a container of water or heavily moistened humus.

Possible problems

IMPORTANT! Excessive watering can give root problems - their rot and lethargy. If a plant stretches out and becomes as if transparent, this is also an unkind sign: it is worth fertilizing it as soon as the clerodendrum lacks nutrients in the soil.

When winter comes, due to the low temperature, the leaves may begin to fall, but it is even useful if the plant does not overwinter, it does not understand when it should bloom, and the flowers will disappear for a long time. Insufficient watering leads to yellowing of the lower, older leaves and their complete death.

Conclusion

Clodendrum is persistent and unpretentiousbut, like everyone, he needs proper care. If you are a busy person, but you want to have a piece of exotic at home, Philippine Clodendrum is a flower especially for you. Not requiring constant watering and top dressing, it will delight owners with small flowers and a pleasant unobtrusive odor for nine months a year.

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