Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
3 ratings

Wednesday - August 15, 2007

From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Disposal of non-native invasive clerodendron
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

What do you do about clerodendron that is spreading like wildfire. A friend gave me one plant before I was acquainted with invasives!!

ANSWER:

There are several species of clerodendron or glorybower, Clerodendrum sp., and I'm not sure which one you have. None of them is native to the continental United States (there is one, Clerodendrum aculeatum, native to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands). C. bungei (rose gloryblower) appeared on the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council's 1999 List of Florida's Most Invasive Species as a Category II species ("Species that have shown a potential to disrupt native plant communities"). It has not appeared on subsequent Florida lists, however. C. chinense, (stickbush), C. japonicum (sweet Japanese glorybower), C. macrostegium (velvetleaf glorybower) and several other Clerodendrum species appear on the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk (HEAR) Project's "Alien species in Hawaii" list. No species of Clerodendrum appear in the TEXASINVASIVES.org database, but since it is aggressive it sounds like something you need and want to control. Even though Mr. SP doesn't know exactly which species you have, the advice is going to be the same. You need to cut down/dig up the plants and dispose of them safely. Then, you will need to be vigilant to remove new plants that appear.
 

More Non-Natives Questions

Are Native Cultivars As Beneficial to Wildlife?
September 02, 2015 - I am working on adding more native plants to my small acreage. I would like to know if using a selection or cultivar of a native species is as likely to have wildlife benefits as using a randomly prop...
view the full question and answer

Shriveling and dying of non-native impatiens
July 14, 2008 - Several years now many of my impatiens after a month or so seem to shrivel up and eventually die. They are planted in a row and not all are affected. I am not noticing any slug evidence which I would...
view the full question and answer

Deadheading cannas and geraniums
August 17, 2007 - I'm new to gardening. Your help would be appreciated. 1) I think I read that canna flowers can be deadheaded so they will continue to bloom throughout the summer. What part is actually taken off? ...
view the full question and answer

Dwarf oyster plant dying in Sunrise FL
July 06, 2012 - WHAT WOULD BE KILLING MY DWARF OYSTER PLANTS
view the full question and answer

Trees to replace some non-native invasives in Deltona FL
February 02, 2012 - I would like to replace 3 large ChinaBerry & 3 large Chinese Tallow trees in my good sized back yard with some local wildlife friendly trees native to the Deltona area(first area.) What do you recomme...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.