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Clerodendrum trichotomum Thunb.

Harlequin glorybower, peanut butter tree

KingdomPlantaePlants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
DivisionMagnoliophytaFlowering plants, also known as angiosperms
ClassMagnoliopsidaDicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
SubclassAsteridaeA large class that encompasses asters
OrderLamialesAromatic herbs and shrubs, including lavender, lilac, olive, jasmine, ash, teak, snapdragon, sesame, psyllium, garden sage, mint, basil, and rosemary
FamilyLamiaceaeMint family
GenusClerodendrumFrom Greek kleros, “chance or fate” or “clergy,” and dendron, “a tree”
SpeciestrichotomumFrom Greek, meaning “three-forked” or “triple-branched”

About plant names...

Harlequin Glorybower is native to Japan and China. It has become naturalized in parts of North America. Sometimes this shrub is called the peanut butter shrub, because the crushed leaves smell a bit like peanut butter (other accounts say “malodorous” or “like green peas”—a rather surprising range of opinions).

Plants: Shrubs are 10-20′ (3-6.1 m) high, and about the same in diameter.

Leaves: Opposite, heart-shaped 4-9″ (10-22 cm) × 2-5″ (5-12 cm), with flattened hairs beneath.

Flowers: White five-petaled flowers are 1-1½″ (2.5-3.8 cm) in diameter, atop a red calyx, in showy, attractive clusters.

Fruits: Fruits are roundish, ¼-½″ (8.5-12 mm) in diameter, blue, atop a brilliant red calyx which has opened into a 5-pointed, glossy star.

Clerodendrum trichotomum (harlequin glorybower, peanut butter tree)

Clerodendrum trichotomum fruits turn a metallic blue at maturity, atop the bright red calyxes. By Wendy Cutler.

Online References:

Plants for a Future, a resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants

The Missouri Botanical Garden

The Texas AgriLife Extension Service and Texas A&M University, Texas A&M System

EFloras

Discover Life

 

Clerodendrum trichotomum description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 14 Sep 2020.

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Clerodendrum trichotomum (harlequin glorybower, peanut butter tree)

9/7/2010 · Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Boylston, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 14 × 9″ (35 × 23 cm)

Clerodendrum trichotomum (harlequin glorybower, peanut butter tree)

9/7/2010 · Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Boylston, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 11 × 7″ (27 × 18 cm)

Clerodendrum trichotomum (harlequin glorybower, peanut butter tree)

9/7/2010 · Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Boylston, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 11 × 7″ (27 × 18 cm)

Clerodendrum trichotomum (harlequin glorybower, peanut butter tree)

9/7/2010 · Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Boylston, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 11 × 7″ (27 × 18 cm)

Range: Zones 7-10:

About this map...