“A Glorious Vine”, a copyrighted post, was written for my WordPress blog called Always Growing by Jan in Covington, Louisiana
While visiting a neighbor the other evening, I was taken by their lovely bleeding heart vine and just had to share it. They have had the vine at least four years, protecting it every winter. It is a wonderful specimen with its myriad of flowers and lush growth. This vine, which is clerodendrum thomsoniae, is a tropical plant that has very long-lasting flowers. It will take some partial shade and still bloom.
Since these plants bloom on new wood, it is best to prune them after they bloom. They need moist, but well-drained soil, and regular fertilizing will keep them in bloom.
These neighbors take care of their plants but are not really gardeners, but they sure have been successful with this vine. I have the red bleeding heart vine (clerodendrum speciosum), and now, after seeing my neighbors’ white bleeding heart, I am tempted to get one of these too.
Always Growing 
Nancy Bond said,
June 29, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Beautiful! The hint of red on those white blooms is amazing! And I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a bleeding heart with *so many* blooms.
chey said,
June 29, 2008 at 8:44 pm
That’s a fabulous vine, so laden with flowers. We have the regular bleeding heart plants here in this area, however tropicals would not overwinter here.
Jan said,
June 30, 2008 at 6:17 am
I agree, Nancy, this example has the most flowers I’ve ever seen too.
Chey, the regular bleeding hearts are also very pretty and do well here. Of course, the tropicals are so very showy. Many people keep them in containers to overwinter as my neighbors do.
Phillip said,
June 30, 2008 at 7:58 am
Wow, that is spectacular. I have only seen this in grocery stores for sale, never in a garden!
Jan said,
June 30, 2008 at 10:16 am
Oh, Phillip, many people grow this vine around here. Some even grow it in the ground, and it supposedly will come back from the roots. I have my red one in the ground, and it does come back, but I do have a spare in a container just in case. They are very popular among gardeners for summer trellises.
Brenda Kula said,
June 30, 2008 at 11:01 am
They sure did do a great job! What a lovely vine!
Brenda
Jan said,
June 30, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Yes, Brenda, they sure did.
Mary Beth said,
June 30, 2008 at 12:25 pm
I planted two of these this spring – how excited I will be if mine ever look as lush as these do!
Jan said,
July 1, 2008 at 8:07 am
Gee, Mary Beth, I sure hope yours grow like this one did. My sister told me the same thing about hers.