How about clerodendrum?

Sounds like it. It apparently has roots from here to china and wants to sucker all the time -- read about it in Fine Gardening this month. I used to have this in Louisiana; it has good smelling flowers (but I think the roots or something is supposed to smell bad).

"Passalong Plants" talks about clerodendrum: clerodendrum bungei which is the shrub (also called cashmere bouquet) and clerodendrum trichotomum (harlequin glorybower) which is more treelike.

:)
Rose

Thanks, sure enough that is it. You guys are awesome. I only hope it is the "trichotomum" variety and not the "bungei" since that one sounds much more agressive. I am not sure, her's was somewhat tree like in shape although not very tall. Now I am a little scared to plant it.

Hey Kathy,
If it's the Glory bower tree, beware! They sucker like you wouldn't believe. I saw a mature tree and thought the blooms were neat, so I had to have one. I was given a sucker and it took no time to grow and bloom, but I had to get rid of it as it was taking over. It takes yrs. to get rid of all the little roots too, and from these roots emerge new plants. What a nightmare it was.

Donna

Me again...:)
I still do grow clerodendrum, but it's this kind....
(hope the link works)

Donna

Here is a link that might be useful: http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/21702/

So how can I tell for sure what kind it is? None of hers had any flowers. Did they bloom already or not yet? Maybe I'll put it in a bigger pot and see what comes of it, and if I want I'll plant it in the fall? What do you think?

Try going to Google and upload pictures of the two: clerodendrum bungei and clerodendrum trichotomum. I think if you get a close up look at the leaves you may be able to tell.

Donna, I used to have clerodendrum thomsonaie (something like that); it was a vine and called bleeding heart. It was incredibly beautiful! So not all clerodendrums are necessarily bad! Kathy, do research and decide if you want the shrub, keep it, just don't give it the best soil or put it in the middle of the border. I have a sort of "hell strip" that I would want a suckering shrub to take over.

Rose