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Chinese glory bower (Clerodendrum chinense)

Chinese glory bower is recorded as introduced and cultivated in Queensland, and may become a weed if it escapes into suitable sites. It can form dense thickets that shade out other plants, so escaped plants are worth identifying and managing early.

Key facts

Type: Weed, shrub.

Native to: China; the exact native range is obscure..

Established in: .

Other names: Hawaiian rose, Honolulu rose, Fragrant clerodendrum, Glory bower.

Best time to act: Look for the conspicuous fragrant flower clusters when present, and treat plants promptly while they are actively growing so follow-up regrowth can be found.

Identification

  • A scented, perennial shrub, usually about 1.2 to 2.4 m tall.
  • Its branches are four-sided and densely hairy.
  • The large, opposite leaves are broadly oval, with coarse irregular teeth and sometimes shallow lobes.
  • Fragrant flowers grow in dense clusters at the ends of branches; they are pale pink and may appear white or mauve.
  • The flowers are often double, and fruit is described as unknown.
  • Look-alike: It may be confused with other ornamental Clerodendrum shrubs; check the combination of four-sided hairy branches, large toothed leaves and dense fragrant flower clusters.

Where it grows

In Australia it is recorded as cultivated in Queensland; the species favours moist, fertile sites in tropical and subtropical climates and can tolerate shade.

Why it matters

  • It can form dense thickets and canopies that shade out understory plants and exclude other species.
  • Where established, it can invade pastures and plantations and form dense growth along roadsides, streams and forest edges.
  • Its capacity to spread vegetatively makes escaped garden plants a potential source of persistent infestations.

How it spreads

  • It spreads primarily by root suckers.
  • Avoid disturbing or moving soil and plant material from around infestations, as this may assist spread.

Control options

  • For small plants, remove the whole plant and as much of the root system as practical; check the area for regrowth and root suckers.
  • For larger plants, use an herbicide registered for the species and site, applying an approved foliar or cut-stump method according to the product label and local advice.
  • Do not rely on slashing alone: it may slow spread but will not prevent it, and follow-up treatment is needed to deal with regrowth.
  • Where local guidance requests it, report suspected naturalised infestations to the relevant state or territory biosecurity agency.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Remove soil and plant material from boots, tools and machinery before leaving an infested site.
  • Contain removed material and avoid transporting soil or plant waste from the infestation.
  • Inspect and clean vehicles, plant and footwear before leaving an infested area, paying attention to tyres, radiators, belly plates, tracks and floor mats.
  • Wash down at a designated bay where runoff is contained and can be monitored for seedlings.
  • Record each washdown so the client has evidence of clean entry and exit.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Restricted matter, categories 3, 5. Do not give it away, sell or release it into the environment; do not keep it. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: Not a priority weed. Not a state or regional priority weed in NSW. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Not declared. Not declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Other Victorian laws may still apply.
  • South Australia: Not declared. Not declared under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019. Other laws may still apply.
  • Western Australia: Not listed. Not found in the Western Australian Organism List. Check with DPIRD before moving or keeping it.
  • Tasmania: Not declared. Not a declared weed in Tasmania. Other laws may still apply.
  • Northern Territory: Check NT list. There is no NT weed profile for it. Check the NT declared weeds list for its current status.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

Sources