Escambron - totally underutilized native tropical

[markyscott]

Escambron is one of my favorite tropicals. Escambron is what we call it here in Houston as most of our collection locally comes from Puerto Rico - it's called Clerodendrum aculeatum. I'm sure that Anthony has another name for them. Here is mine - two years in training from a stump and purchased from Pedro Morales:



They develop very fast.

Scott

 

[markyscott]

These trees grow throughout most of the islands of the Caribbean plus Venezuelan, Guyana, Ecuador, Hawaii, Mexico, Nicaragua and some countries in Africa. I think that it's called a Prickly Myrtle in Hawaii and sometimes called a West India Privet. It has a woody trunk with thick wrinkled bark - the heart wood is quite hard and it often is displayed with deadwood.

There are small thorns at the base of each petiole and it produces small white flowers during the summer time. Mine has not flowered yet. There are some related species that produce similar flowers - Gemelina, Premna, Vitex, etc.

Scott

 

[markyscott]

The bark is corky and furrowed and can be quite thick. But it's also soft and prone to rot.

It's a very fast growing shrub and puts out strong shoots continually during the summer months. It can be cut back hard and it tolerates repotting very well. As you can see, you can build branches quickly.

Scott

 

[markyscott]

When I purchased it in summer 2015 it was a stump. I let it grow for one year. Here it is in July 2016:



It produced prodigious shoots and the roots had completely filled the container.

Scott

 

[markyscott]

First styling in July 2016:



I repotted later that summer into the terra cotta grow pot you see.

Scott

 

[my nellie]

... ...It's a very fast growing shrub and puts out strong shoots continually during the summer months. It can be cut back hard and it tolerates repotting very well... ...

Exactly!
I like the special characteristics of this species a lot and I tried to find out if Clerodendrum aculeatum is imported in Greece but I had no luck.
But we do grow Clerodendrum philippinum (or Cashmere bouquet) here which has wonderful fragrant flowers. The leaves are way too big for bonsai and its habit is bushy.
@Anthony Do you know any other name for the species?

 

[Anthony]

@my nellie and @markyscott ,

the Clerodendrum or is it Clerodendron ?
Our source is Barbados, leaves are small and the bark is like Scott's.

Problem in this yard, a little bug likes to eat the leaf.

Alexandra, that 100 deg, heat you have would kill most if not all trees from
the West Indies.
Had a chat with an Agri-officer, he suggested not trying, as our max is 93 and
only for 30 minutes to 10 minutes.
Most of the year we are in the 80's.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[Shima]

I think that it's called a Prickly Myrtle in Hawaii

Never heard of it. So I googled it. Sho nuf, it's here on "Alien species in Hawaii" list

 

[my nellie]

Hello @Anthony !
Thanks for your interest

 

[sorce]

Scott.....summer is Here Bro!
Been!

Sorce

 

[Anthony]

Scott ,

here is one that is about 10 years old.
As I mentioned we have a bug that eats the leaves,
Responds well to directional pruning / grow and clip.
Wounds that are small, about this size [ ] will heal.

Have larger ones in the grow trough, but until there is time to deal with the bug,
they will stay there.
Good Day
Anthony

Bug eventually found this one and there is a good chance that the lower back branches are dead.

 

[markyscott]

Scott ,

here is one that is about 10 years old.
As I mentioned we have a bug that eats the leaves,
Responds well to directional pruning / grow and clip.
Wounds that are small, about this size [ ] will heal.

Have larger ones in the grow trough, but until there is time to deal with the bug,
they will stay there.
Good Day
Anthony

Bug eventually found this one and there is a good chance that the lower back branches are dead.

View attachment 156416

Was this defoliated or is that insect damage?

S

 

[markyscott]

Six weeks of growth. I feel like I can sit and watch these things grow.

 

[markyscott]

I’m still learning about their growth, though. They tend to throw water shoots from the interior part of the branch - great for thickening the main branch, but the branch tips tend to get a bit stagnant as the water shoots kind of take over. I can see I’ll have to prune those back regularly if I want extension on the branch ends.

S

 

[markyscott]

You know the drill - a few hours of work. Removing old leaves, pruning for branch taper and ramification, wiring for shape.



Generally this would be a bit late in the season for me to do much work on a tropical. But this is going right into the greenhouse when the weather turns, so I’m confident of conditions through what passes for winter here in Houston.

S

 

[MrBeto]

You know the drill - a few hours of work. Removing old leaves, pruning for branch taper and ramification, wiring for shape.

View attachment 162561

Generally this would be a bit late in the season for me to do much work on a tropical. But this is going right into the greenhouse when the weather turns, so I’m confident of conditions through what passes for winter here in Houston.

S

Hello Scott ! I ran into one a couple weeks ago while sailing on ebay. Couldn’t resist the urge.. And the price. Oh well.. Got it home real fast. It is already stilized. I’ll do my best to make it through the winter. I’ll post some pics tomorrow. I’ll bring it to the next workshop on the Heights.

 

[Anthony]

Hey Scott,

here is the shrub back with leaves and as expected we lost the back branch.
Thought maybe a front branch.
Plant is also being thinned out for the next stage of training.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Most of the species in genus Clerodendron have large leaves that are difficult to get to reduce. But C. aculeatum is one of 3 or 4 exceptions. I agree, a great species for tropical, or sub tropical bonsai. It should be more popular than it is.

 

[Giga]

Thats a chunker! I'm not much of a tropical man but that pretty cool

 

[milehigh_7]

I just picked up a little one... Any suggestions for care are appreciated! How about propagation? Any pointers?