Clerodendrum trichotomum Thunb.
Harlequin glorybower, peanut butter tree
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 ⨉ 2–5″ (10–22 ⨉ 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.
Habitats: Tropical and subtropical climates.
Clerodendrum trichotomum fruits turn a metallic blue at maturity, atop the bright red calyxes. By Wendy Cutler. 
Online References:
9/7/2010 · New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, Boylston, Massachusetts · ≈ 11 × 9″ (27 × 23 cm) 
9/7/2010 · New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, Boylston, Massachusetts · ≈ 11 × 7″ (27 × 18 cm) 
9/7/2010 · New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, Boylston, Massachusetts · ≈ 11 × 7″ (27 × 18 cm) 
9/7/2010 · New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, Boylston, Massachusetts · ≈ 11 × 7″ (27 × 18 cm) 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Asteridae | A large class that encompasses asters |
| Order | Lamiales | Aromatic herbs and shrubs, including lavender, lilac, olive, jasmine, ash, teak, snapdragon, sesame, psyllium, garden sage, mint, basil, and rosemary |
| Family | Lamiaceae | Mint family |
| Genus | Clerodendrum | From Greek kleros, “chance or fate” or “clergy,” and dendron, “a tree” |
| Species | trichotomum | From Greek, meaning “three-forked” or “triple-branched” |
Clerodendrum trichotomum description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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