The MGS Forum

Plant identification => Plant identification => Topic started by: David Dickinson on October 13, 2018, 12:13:47 AM

Title: Plant with leaves smelly when bruised ID'd by Charithea as Clerodendrum bungei
Post by: David Dickinson on October 13, 2018, 12:13:47 AM

I took the photos in the dark with a flash which has altered the colours somewhat. The flowers are brighter pink and the leaves are darker green with a brown tint. The leaf stems are a reddish-browny colour. The plant is about 1m tall, just under, and is spreading through underground suckers. The bruised leaves have an unpleasant smell. Or at least it is unpleasant to me and reminds me of the same smell from another plant that I can't remember.

Title: Re: Can anyone identify this from these poor quality photos?
Post by: Charithea on October 13, 2018, 05:31:01 AM

David I think it is a Clerodendrum bungei but I will wait for other experts.  The leaves certainly have an unpleasant smell.

Title: Re: Plant with leaves smelly when bruised ID'd by Charithea as Clerodendrum bungei
Post by: David Dickinson on October 13, 2018, 10:30:03 AM

Thanks Charithea. I think you are spot on. I wouldn't have known where to start looking.

I did send a photo of a related tree some time ago asking for help in identification. But in that case I had only seen the fruit and not the flowers and in that case also at night time. Oron identified it as C tricotomum. Perhaps it was the smell of those leaves which came to mind as I smelt the leaves of this Clerodendrum?

The plant I saw last night was growing in the street and I confess to taking a little rooted sucker cutting, There were lots of them radiating out from the plant. Let's see if it takes.

Title: Re: Plant with leaves smelly when bruised ID'd by Charithea as Clerodendrum bungei
Post by: Charithea on October 14, 2018, 08:12:11 AM

David this plant is very tough and I am sure it will take.  Ours suffers in the summer heat, looses its leaves in the winter and re awakens in the spring.  It does not sucker as much as my favorite Clerodendrum Chinese.  I hate pulling the new plants out so I pot them up and give them to other gardeners.