Peanut Butter Tree Clerodendrum trichotomum
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- kle-ro-DEN-drum tri-ko-TO-mum
- Description
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Harlequin glorybower is an open, unkempt, multi-stemmed shrub. Plant in full sun to light shade in, well-drained soil. Mulch the roots heavily in the fall to protect them through the winter, otherwise, they may not survive. This plant has fragrant white flowers on 6-9 in. racemes in summer. When the leaves are crushed they give off a peanut butter fragrance, hence one of the common names. Flowers are followed by bright blue drupes. Use as a hedge for privacy screening, in a shrub border or along the margin of a woodland garden.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems.
VIDEO created by Ryan Contreras for “Landscape Plant Materials I: Deciduous Hardwoods and Conifers or Landscape Plant Materials II: Spring Flowering Trees and Shrubs” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Juniper Level Botanic Garden: Banana Beds
- Cultivars / Varieties:
- 'Betty Stiles'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
- 'Betty Stiles'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Clerodendrum
- Species:
- trichotomum
- Family:
- Lamiaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern Asia
- Play Value:
- Fragrance
- Dimensions:
- Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Irregular
- Open
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Blue
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Description:
- Bright blue fruits with red fleshy caylx
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Description:
- Late summer to fall blooming tubular white showy, fragrant flowers appear in long-peduncled cymes 6"-9" wide.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Lustrous, dark green leaves; 4"-8" long; simple, ovate to elliptic; entire or sparsely toothed. Crushed leaves smell like peanut butter.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Square
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Garden for the Blind
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Flowering Tree
- Small Tree
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Urban Conditions
