Clerodendrum; is it frost hardy?

[NBPCA]

Hi all,

The Clerodendrum seems to be used a fair bit for bonsai in the more northerly climes and makes a great bonsai.

I have some questions.

Does anyone really know the correct botanical name for the variety used in Qld to great effect?

Does anyone have experience growing it in colder climates?

Is it temperature sensitive?

Is it frost senstive?

Is it frost hardy?

As an experiment I asked and was given two tube stock by Tess of Northside Bonsai so I could trial it here in Canberra. Early results are good so far.

I repotted the tubestock in early March and then from mid May have kept one outside in the cold(Below zero recently) and one inside where it does not get below 10 degrees and gets some sun.

Clerodendrum 007.JPG

Clerodendrum 010.JPG

Which one was grown inside? the left or right?

Grant

[Hackimoto]

The one on the left was grown inside. Larger, softer new leaves and it is still producing them.

[anttal63]

Im with hackimoto the one on the right has smaller internodes as well as smaller darker hardened off foliage too.
I was recenty given a couple shohin clero's so its good to hear they can handle the weather down here. i have been bringing them in at night.

[Grant Bowie]

Im with hackimoto the one on the right has smaller internodes as well as smaller darker hardened off foliage too.
I was recenty given a couple shohin clero's so its good to hear they can handle the weather down here. i have been bringing them in at night.

Hi all,

Yes the one on the left is kept inside but it is too early to conclude that a Clerodendrum can last a whole winter outside yet. A series of cold nights or frosts can build up and kill some trees so that is why I am trialling them.

Then one kept inside has too many soft leaves now for its own good.

Grant

[MattA]

Hey Grant,

I think it is Clerodendrum inerme, I planted a couple in march last year & I also planted cuttings at the same time. All of them powered right thru winter, we only had 2 or 3 light frosts but it didnt bother the clero. They fatten up real quick in the ground, reshoot like crazy when butchered and the bark is stunning

Matt

[NathanM]

Hey Grant,

I think it is Clerodendrum inerme, I planted a couple in march last year & I also planted cuttings at the same time. All of them powered right thru winter, we only had 2 or 3 light frosts but it didnt bother the clero. They fatten up real quick in the ground, reshoot like crazy when butchered and the bark is stunning

Matt

I have always known it as inerme also. And i agree wholeheartedly with what Matt has said. They are great!!

[anttal63]

Thanks Grant i will continue to bring them in at night . I do it for my figs this time of the year so i will just treat them the same. They are resilient, mine came down barerooted in an icecream container full of spagnum and spent a few days that way before getting repotted. I expected them to drop their leaves at the least but havent even batted an eye lid! its been 2 weeks now.

[Bretts]

I left mine in a new spot on the veranda last Winter and some thing was not great. I think the leaves turned a bit yellow At first I thought it was nutrient deficient. It took me most of the Winter to realise that the new spot was getting too cold.
Once back in the Spring warmth the colour came back and all was good.
That has been my observation at least.

[Bretts]

Oh and last year like the year before that was a fairly mild Winter

[Grant Bowie]

Thanks all,

Seems they may be hardier than I first thought but we still have a long, cold and freezing winter to go. I don't put figs outside down here till late september or early october and si I will be careful with observations.

Thanks for your input Brett.

Has anyone had them go deciduous over winter and come back OK?

Grant

[NBPCA]

Two weeks later and the plant outside looks fine.I visited Lee W up the Blue Mountains yesterday and he has had a Clerodendrum outside with no concerns in his climate; cool but not as cold as Canberra.

grant

[NBPCA]

Canberra had a minus 6.3 degrees during the week and the thermometers showed only minus 2 at the collection.

The Clerodendrum outside is still doing fine so far.

Grant

[MattA]

I left mine in a new spot on the veranda last Winter and some thing was not great. I think the leaves turned a bit yellow At first I thought it was nutrient deficient. It took me most of the Winter to realise that the new spot was getting too cold.
Once back in the Spring warmth the colour came back and all was good.
That has been my observation at least.

I hadnt noticed last winter but just been looking at my clero here & new growth is very yellow....

100_4961rz.jpg

[NBPCA]

Thanks,

The one here outside has no new growth but it appears to have hardened off satisfactorally. It is still very dark green..

Grant

[NBPCA]

Hi all,

It is now the 11th of July and we have just been through a series of days (A week!) of average overnight temps (at the airport) of minus 5 degrees.

The thermometers here only registered minus 2 but never the less a series of very cold nights.

The Clerodendrum outisde has just shed a (very ) few old larger leaves but is looking fine so far.

We are now in for some cooler day temps but warmer overnight temps so we will see how it is going.

So far it all looks very promising for Clerodendrum in the ACT and cooler climes.

Grant