About The Starburst or Shooting Star

The green and purple leaf clerodendrum quadriloculare Tree is sometimes called Starburst or Shoot Star. The plant may be kept as a shrub or pruned into a tree. The pink flowers are delicate and look like a display of fireworks in late Winter or early Spring. On the underside the leaves are a beautiful purple making a great contrast to the green color on the other side. The tree is best in zone 10 however, you may plant in a pot in zone 9B. Remember to bring in during cold snaps.

 

How To Plant Clerodendrum Quadriloculare Tree

Firstly choose a sunny to partial shade area. When the plant is in bloom it will have more showy flowers on the sunny side. Be sure to have enough room for this tree to grow 8 to 15 feet depending on whether it is pruned as a shrub or a tree.

Secondly, The mixture of soil should be a mixture of top soil, organic peat moss and composted cow manure. Dig a hole deeper than the tree and place the mixture in the prepped area. Do not lift a tree by the trunk instead pick up from the bottom. Keep in mind the tree should be planted level with the ground. The hole should be around 2-3 times wider than the rootball. Do not plant the tree deeper than the top of the dirt coming out of the container.

Thirdly, If planting more than one tree or bush keep them 4′ – 5′ apart. Keep at least 5′ from the house and 6′ from the driveway. This will give enough room to get in and around the plant to keep them maintained.

Fourthly, this tree will have runners and shoots so if you are trimming as a tree keep the shoots trimmed to get a firm trunk base. The shooting star has a tendency to spread growing new trees. If you want to remove then take them out immediately. If you prefer to transfer to a new location wait until the tree gets about 18 inches tall and dig up. My experience has been sometimes they make it and sometimes they do not.

What Type Of Landscape is Best?

The Best Place To Plant Clerodendrum Quadriloculare Tree

You can use the Shooting Star as an architectural feature placed in a mixed bed of plants. If you want privacy try keeping them as a large shrub planting them about 4 feet apart and trimming regularly. This type of tree may also be used as a show piece with beautiful blooms creating an accent for two story homes. Keep the tree trimmed and can be a stand alone display of fireworks in the Spring and Fall.

When To Prune and Feed A Shooting Star

Pruning a Shooting Star takes place right after a bloom in late winter or early spring. Best to do a hard but if you want to keep the plant full with leaves and flowers. The next cut should take place later September. A Shooting Star needs to be regularly watered with Florida’s hot summers. You should use a good granular fertilizer and supplement with bone meal in Spring. For Summer, and Autumn use the granular fertilizer.