Cut it now, while it looks beat up. Thanks for reminding me. Mine is around 15' tall, but it needs a hard pruning now that the flowers are done.

Thanks, Ricky. Do I cut back by 1/3 as I have read is safe? Or do you recommend different?

Marcia

I've cut it back as much as half. I don't subscribe to the "no more than 1/3 theory" anyhow. I've cut Crotons down to within an inch of the soil and had them come back.

Okay, I won't worry about being precise. I'll just cut what looks to need cuttin'! Thanks for the input!

Marcia

You can cut 'em hard Marcia.
They really enjoy it in my experience with them.
And don't be afraid to prune them during the summer.
Just stop pruning late summer so you'll get a good bloom.

Mow and grow LOL !

I got this plant last summer and it grew quite nicely, but it hasn't bloomed yet. I will prune the heck outta it! I'll show it who's boss, all right! Then maybe it will fattten up and bloom for me next year, fingers crossed.

Thanks for all the info, guys.

Marcia

I wish I had taken pictures of the one around the corner from me. The housewife was having a battle with her husband about letting her cut it back. (We were taking our daily constitutional around the neighborhood.) He stopped me, knowing of my horticultural experience, and asked my opinion. The mass - easily 8' wide and as tall as a two-story house - had very few leaves and looked terrible. I told the wife to cut it down to 6' tall, as high as she could reach.

That was last April or May. This winter, it had returned to around 10' tall and was so full of flowers that all you could see was white. If you're coming to our swap, I'll point it out.

Good thing you were there to do a Clero Intervention, Ricky! And I wish I were able to come to your swap, but I'm thinking I will have to miss one more. *sniveling, here* I have not been running at full strength lately, and I think a drive to south Florida might be more than I can handle right now. The two hours to Gainesville just about does me in, and I have a grandbaby waiting as reward at the end of that! (NOT that YOU aren't just as special as a grandbaby...no, no, nooooo...just that she's my only one, and all!) ;o)

I DO want to come down to see your garden and meet you. I've heard so much about how great your swaps are, and it sounds like a lot of fun, food, and friends. I'll make it there one day! In the meantime, I'm sure glad to be able to reap the benefit of your experience here on GW. This place is just the best for learning!!

Thanks for all your input!

Marcia

Is this the clerodendron sometimes called 'shooting star'? I saw one at Blodgetts and fell in love with it. But once I heard how big it can get I kind of lost interest. Maybe knowing that I could keep it pruned back rekindles my interest. Can they be started from cuttings?

Marcia when you prune yours put a half dozen cuttings in water for me, will ya? If they root I'll give it a try.

I think it might be the same one, Kate...Nicki says the blooms look like clusters of pink Q-tips. I just know it as starburst. And I do plan to save all the cuttings. Even when it doesn't bloom, it's a beautiful plant, with large leaves that are a rich green on top and a deep wine underneath. I'll be sure to mark some of the cuttings for you. I plan to do it tomorrow.

Marcia

Yes, the most common name for the plant is "Shooting Star."

Also comes with a varigated leaf, too.........cheryl

Here is a link that might be useful: Clerodendrum quadriloculare var.

That's pretty, Cheryl. Going to go cut mine back today, and hope for a prettier, fuller plant in a few weeks. Thanks for all the info, guys!

Marcia

Cut my 2 Clero-Qs back today. They are such tough and beautiful plants! I sawed mine down from 10-12' tall and 16' wide, to 3' bases. The trunks are larger than my arms.

These were cut back severely last spring, and rebounded rapidly. Cutting them back hard is supposed to prompt them into massive suckering, so I'll be watching for new ones to be popping up. Suckers are easy to pull and I've been potting them up. I just love those leaf colors and blooms!

The chickens are bewildered. The Cleros are a favorite hang-out for them:).

Lisa

I'm soon to join you, Lisa, in hacking away at my clero. I'll be watching for suckers to dig and pot up, too. I have other places in the yard I can use more of this plant, so if it suckers a bit, I won't mind.

Poor chickens (or chooks, as my Aussie friend calls them)!! Bless they liddle heads!

Marcia

Hi, I'm in Houston and I've had mine for 2 years in a pot. It's never bloomed. What am I doing wrong?