Clerodendrum bungei: rose glory bower, Mexican hydrangea

Genus of  about 400 species of deciduus and evergreen trees, shrubs, and climbers, mainly founde in woodland in tropical and subtropical regions, aticularly in Africa and Asia. They are cultivated for their nice flowers.  The leaves are arranged in whorls or opposite pairs. The shrubs are suitable for a warm border.Train the climbers over a trellis, pergola or other support. In frost-prone areas, grow half-hardy and frost-tender species in a warm greenhouse or conservatory.

Rose glory bower is a deciduous shrub that spreads aggressively by sending up suckers all around itself. Clerodendrum bungei is native to China and northern India The invasive nature of rose glory bower has allowed it to become established in numerous areas throughout South America, Mexico, Florida and other southern states. It can reach a height of 200cm.

The upright, minimally branched, shoots can get 6 ft (1 m) tall and they have opposite, oval shaped leaves, to 20 cm long, with long petioles and coarse marginal teeth. The leaves have a strong unpleasant, smell. The rose colored flowers are in rounded clusters 20 cm across and carried above the leaves. Individual flowers are funnel shaped with five spreading petal-like lobes. The flowers are very fragrant and last from summer until first frost. In winter, the upright stems, mostly devoid of branches, are not very attractive and may appear to be dead.

Propagation: Propagation of glory bower is easy. Tip cuttings root readily. Suckers can be dug up and repositioned. Pieces of root can be dug up and replanted. Or, you can just wait a few weeks and it will probably propagate itself all over the place.

Usage
Use glory bower in your landscape at your own risk. It will surely spread. I confine my stands to isolated beds that are surrounded by lawn where no plants taller than 6 in (15 cm) can escape the savage, if dull, blades of my trusty lawn mower. Others keep them in containers. Once incarcerated, rose glory bower is a beautiful landscape flower and one that attracts butterflies, both as a nectar source for adults, and a food plant for the caterpillars of several species. Some states may ban the sale and propagation of rose glory bower.