Leaf
Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Harlequin glorybower
Clerodendrum trichotomum Thunb.
Also known as: Peanut butter tree
Family: Lamiaceae
3 to 6 m tall
Sheltered borders, cool fertile soil, in a warm position to fruit well
Flowering: August – September
Full sun
Part shade
Hardy to about -15°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Its nickname of 'blue butterfly tree' comes from its brilliant metallic blue berries, borne on a bright red calyx star — one of the most spectacular colour contrasts in the autumn garden.
🍃 Leaves
Deciduous, large, ovate, opposite, giving off a strong smell when crushed
🌸 Flowers
White, star-shaped, strongly scented, surrounded by a persistent pink-red calyx
🍎 Fruits
Metallic turquoise-blue berries surrounded by the red, star-shaped calyx, very ornamental in autumn
🪵 Bark
Brown-grey, upright, sparsely branched twigs
🗺️ Distribution
Native to China and Japan; introduced to Europe as an ornamental shrub
🐝 Value for pollinators
Flowers strongly scented in the evening, attractive to moths and bees
✂️ Horticultural uses
Planted for the remarkable contrast between its white summer flowers and its blue autumn berries on a red calyx
🌿 Other Lamiaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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