Clerodendrum trichotomum
Common name: 
Harlequin Glorybower
Peanut Butter Tree
Pronunciation: 
kle-ro-DEN-drum tri-ko-TO-mum
Family: 
Verbenaceae
Genus: 
Clerodendrum
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Broadleaf deciduous shrub/tree, coarse, 10-20 ft (3-6 m).  Leaves simple, opposite, 10-23 cm x 5-10 cm, ovate to elliptic, tip acuminate, base wedge-shaped to truncate, margin entire (usually), dark green, soft hairy, when bruised they have the odor of peanut butter.  Flowers white, appear in late summer and early fall, fragrant; showy red calyxes cover small, and ultimately, bright blue fruit.
  • Sun to part shade.  Best in a deep, light, well-drained soil.  May freeze back in cold winters.  Suckers freely
  • Hardy to USDA Zone (7)8     Native to Eastern China and Japan
  • Clerodendrum: from the Greek, klero, chance, and dendron, tree (some are tree-like), alluding to the unpredictable medicinal properties of plants in this genus.    trichotomum: branching into three, possibly a reference to the 3-parted cyme inflorescence
  • Oregon State Univ. campus: east side of Women's Center.
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  • plant habit, flowering

    plant habit, flowering

  • plant habit, flowering

    plant habit, flowering

  • flowering branches

    flowering branches

  • young stem and leaves

    young stem and leaves

  • opening flower

    opening flower

  • leaves and flowers

    leaves and flowers

  • fruit development

    fruit development

  • leaves and fruit

    leaves and fruit

  • fruit

    fruit

  • bark

    bark

  • twig and buds, winter

    twig and buds, winter