Mussaenda philippica is a plant species in the family Rubiaceae that grows as a shrub or small tree. It is also known as Tropical Dogwood and is native to the Philippines, Indonesia and New Guinea. Elsewhere, it`s cultivated as an ornamental plant.
Mussaenda philippica is a tropical shrub or sub-shrub that will grow to 10ft tall in tropical areas, but more likely will reach 1-3ft tall in containers. Clusters (corymbs) of small, tubular flowers with five spreading lobes bloom in summer, however it is the large and colorful, ovate, leaf-like sepals (to 3" long) that provide the real ornamental display. Some individual flowers in each cluster will develop a single enlarged sepal. Elliptic to ovate, bright green leaves (to 6" long). Hybrids typically feature flowers in red and/or yellow with showy sepals of white, bright red or pink.
