A Tropical Beauty >>> Clerodendrum Quadriloulare

Well .. it is a beauty.. but it just never flowers..
This attached picture is from the Logees catalog.. as was the plant some 7-8 years ago Logees says it blooms between Dec and Feb.. I've since read it blooms in responce to decreased light at that time of the year.. I got it as a little twig and it quickly grew to the 3' - 4' bush is now is.. it does have lovely foilage [ a dark green leaf and the reverse is a lovely dark purple ] two tone depending on the wind.. it's a beauty and as such it keeps being given yet another try at it.. but no good.. so far
SO>>> it grows up on the roof in the summer.. great climate there hot roots and plenty of sun.. I have it everso slightly shadded a small part of the time.. it seems to do well.. dence healthy leaves.. I bring it downstairs about this time of year and it lives with the blooming plumerias inside through out the winter .. in the brightest light available.. the other report on it said it was an understory bush through out the jungles.. it keeps it's leaves through out it's moves...and is pretty pest free.. everything prefering my variagated Brugmansias.. [ allmost worth getting some to keep the pests off the other plants ]
It's fed some and given addatives... and bloombooster.. Spay- N Grow [ the only thing that SNG hasn't flowered wonderfully ]
now I can see it being effected by something or other for a year or so.. but this has been going on for the better part of a decade.. AND STILL NO FLOWERS.. if it wasn't for the catalog picture which i visit with each incomming catalog.. it 's pretty leaves and my mule like disposition.. I'd have sent it on it's way long ago..
The only thing I can imagine is it is getting a longer day inside in the winter .... with the ambient house lighting [ all chromolux color balanced through out ] the sun rises for it at 7 AM.. and it has window sun to about 1PM.. difussed light to 5 or so when it gets dark.. and house lighting from 6PM through midnight.. is this extra diffuse ambientlight enough to stop it flowering.. I can only imagine it has soo much flowering chemicals built up by now.. I'm looking for an eruption before spring..
Could it be something else or should I , this year , attack it's lighting..
thanks... I'll go up and get a picture of the plant. and post it next... but first the flower that keeps me in the game.... Thanks.. Gordon

here's a few outside shots... green top of the leaves and then one from mostly underneath.. and purple... I guess it's thinking about comming inside... well this weekend.. it will... Gordon

This one shows more of the purple aspect of the plant
I can't figure out why it is so flower resistant... not even the first hint of a bud at anytime anywhere... Gordon

Gordon, if it flowers in response to natural daylight in Dec-Feb and it's from north of the equator, it needs short days. Longer nights, shorter days. Try 10 hours of light and 14 hours of darkness for at least 30 days and see if it sets buds. That means no light at all during it's dark time, if it's strong enough light to see the headlines of a newspaper, it's too bright.
We used to have commercial greenhouses and to get the poinsettias to bloom even though we had street lights outside, we would pull huge black curtains the length of the greenhouse, top to bottom. You couldn't see your hand in front of your face! We pulled the curtains at 6pm and removed them at 8am every day.

I ordered this plant from Logees last year but it does not look like yours at all. They must have sent the wrong plant.

I'm pretty sure that Gordon's plant is the real McCoy. If I were you, Lalady, I'd contact Logee's. They do make mistakes from time to time.

Gordon, I found this web site and on the order page, it says they send 7 to 12 inch plants that will bloom this season. Whoa.....yours should have tons of blooms by now. They also talk about pruning it back to the bare stem. Maybe there would be a clue on this site that would help you with yours. It's a shame it isn't blooming for you. This plant looks awesome in bloom.
http://www.mgonlinestore.com/Clero_Starburst/

Hey GordonHawk...we have them here and their flowering is breathtaking!!! It IS the hours of light...they bloom during the shortest period, coolest nights. Really a sign, along with the Pointsettias that the end of the year is at hand!!!

Brugie,
Just a word of advice...I wouldn't trust this guy further than I could throw him! Just a suggestion from my own personal experience...

AHA she said, engaging brain!!! Yes...muy careful with that fellow...and, by the way, he is NOT a Master Gardener....

Do you cut yours back in the early spring? We do here, after they bloom...perhaps it will encourage flowering for you...it might have put on too much foliage and forgot the other stuff!!! like blooms. Wants lots of warmth, too - we are not into the low 70's yet when it starts to bloom and T O N S of water!!!

Gee...wish I could help more. They are beautiful...

Brugie.. yes a nice site .. they have the same picture [ enclosed with this post ] as the plant data base here... such a lovely flowering plant.. that's why I keep trying.. Thanks
ALOHAHOYA2000.. yes .. I'm geen with envy .. and NO.. I've never trimmed mine at all.. but if just the light management this winter doesn't do it.. I'll be chopping away in the spring to be sure .. and I'll give it another year or so.. it is lovely.. and seeing the plant in it's entirety blooming It's good for a number of years of additional care .. it the slight chance it will eventually bloom like the picture.. I give it plenty of heat.. I grow directly on the roof surface.. which gets up to over 140*F most every day in the summer..and it gets plenty of water ..and bloombooster foods so the foilage growth shouldn't keep it from blooming..
and what' s the not a master gardner comment about .. in your cross talk with DALE P6.. I think it escapes us... it seems to come from something other than here on this post.. perhaps I should ask him..
DALE P6 watch out for what guy.. I think you must have wandered in from somewhere else.. could you please explain to us just what it is the comment was about ..and to whom it is directed.. it seems more than a bit off the mark here.. not that that is a criteria for anything usually... but please tell us...we can all use a good laugh on your post... Gordon

This message was edited Oct 24, 2004 3:39 AM

I think they are talking about the guy at www.mgonlinestore.com. I could be wrong but that is what I thought.

Is that the only plant they sell. I couldn't find a link to another page of plants?

By the way, GordonHawk, Gorgeous plant!

ILoveJesus99
Oh thanks.. I couldn't understand at first.. II see it now though... I didn't wander off the page that Brugie had posted that the Clerodendrum Quadriloulare was on.. I see it all clearly now.. Thanks... it is a diverse site though .. Gordon

All I did was a search and found that site. I have no prior information about him or the site. Just letting google do its job for me. Thanks.

He touts himself as a Master Gardener, has a newsletter where he sells all these plants.....I would not, NOT order from him again. I bit once and it was literally a stick he had cut off his tree...and I'm not talking bare root here. I have since purchased one and it is getting ready to bloom in Zone 9B...it really is quite a show and one I look forward to! Fireworks is a good nickname!

He also "borrows" copywrited photos from other sites without permission.