Clerodendrum chinense (Clerodendrum fragrans)

Native from the Himalayas to southern China and Southeast Asia, this shrub belongs to the Lamiaceae family. Its roughly square, softly hairy stems bear opposite, broad leaves with heart-shaped bases and coarse, irregular teeth along the margins. Compact flower clusters develop at the stem tips. The strongly scented flowers are white to pale pink, with reddish or purple calyces. In the commonly cultivated double-flowered form, reproductive structures develop into extra petals, and fruits rarely form. The plant spreads vigorously through root suckers, forming dense colonies. It has become an invasive plant in parts of the Pacific Islands and West Indies after introduction as an ornamental. Photographed in Florida.