Bleeding heart vine (Clerodendrum thomsoniae)
Care, watering, light and tips for Bleeding heart vine on Floravia.
Quick facts
- Family: Lamiaceae
- Difficulty: Moderate care
- Watering: every 3 days
- Light: Full sun
- Temperature: 5–35 °C
- Toxicity: Toxic to pets
About Bleeding heart vine
Clerodendrum thomsoniae, commonly known as Bleeding Heart Vine, is a vigorous and fast-growing climbing plant, prized for its striking bicolored flowers: white calyces enclosing intense red corollas. Its exotic appearance makes it ideal for decorating pergolas, trellises, or as a hanging plant in warm and temperate climates, bringing a vibrant touch to the garden or indoors.
Native range
Tropical West Africa
Care tips
It requires bright but indirect light, avoiding direct midday sun which can scorch its leaves. Watering should be regular and abundant during flowering, keeping the substrate consistently moist but not waterlogged, and reduced in winter. Use a well-draining, slightly acidic substrate rich in organic matter. A common mistake is insufficient ambient humidity, which can cause flower buds to drop.
How to save a dying Bleeding heart vine
- Warning signs
- Yellow or drooping leaves, soft shoots, no blooms.
- First aid
- Check drainage. Prune dead branches. Place in bright, indirect light.
- What kills it
- Waterlogging, extreme dry air, lack of light or cold.
- Can it be saved?
- Yes! With proper care and patience, it usually recovers.