Cashmere Bouquet

Clerodendrum bungei

Characteristics

Culture

 Winter hardy to USDA Zones 7-10, Cashmere Bouquet is best grown in evenly moist, organically rich, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Best in full sun, but often appreciates some light afternoon shade in hot summer climates. Established plants have good drought tolerance. Consider pruning stems hard to the ground in early spring in order to promote compact plant form. Propagate by root suckers, cuttings or root sections. Where winter hardy, plants will spread aggressively and invasively in the landscape by root suckers which should be regularly pruned out. Cashmere Bouquet may be grown in containers which are overwintered indoors in bright sunny conservatory-like rooms. Mist foliage frequently. Best indoor placement is a bright southern exposure with indirect sun.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Clerodendrum bungei, commonly called Cashmere Bouquet, is a suckering deciduous shrub which grows somewhat rapidly to 6′ tall. It is native to China. It is best ornamentally grown as a shrub to 2-3′ tall. Oval leaves (to 12″ long) with toothed edges are dark green above and fuzzy bronze-green beneath. Leaves are malodorous when crushed. Salverform (slender tube with abruptly spreading corolla), rosy red flowers (each to 3/4″ wide) bloom in loose clusters to 8″ across from summer into fall. Flowers are very showy and fragrant. Flowers are attractive to butterflies. Cashmere Bouquet will form a spreading colony by suckering if not restrained. It has escaped gardens and naturalized from Texas to Georgia and Florida.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems. Watch for aphids, whitefly, mealybugs, scale and spider mites. Leaf spot is an occasional problem.

Garden Uses

Attractive flowering shrub which should be planted in somewhat isolated areas where aggressive spread can be controlled.

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Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder