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I photographed this unusual shrub in November, in St. Lucia, but haven't been able to identify it. It had small (1-2cm), red flowers, growing out of pink-ish sepals in many elongate clusters as shown below (click for larger view):

Flower 1
Flower 2
Flower 3

Can anyone identify this plant, or at least point me in the right direction?

p.s.w.g
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1 Answers1

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This is clerodendrum thomsoniae or a similar looking cultivar also called the bleeding heart vine. The genus is found in many tropical areas: Asia, Africa, Australasia and tropical Americas.

It is a weak climber but can be trained into a pillar or grown as a shrub. It does not tolerate frost but in some tropical regions is vigorous enough to have escaped cultivation and become naturalized.

When I grew this plant it was quite happy in a 12 inch pot with lots of diffuse light and water. If grown in a pot this plant gives best performance with flowering plant fertilizer added in the blooming season.

kevinskio
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