Clerodendrum trichotomum is a deciduous shrub or small tree native to China and Japan that brings late-summer magic to zones 7-10. Growing 10 to 20 feet tall and equally wide, this coarse-textured plant commands attention with fragrant white flowers that bloom from July through September, followed by showy blue fruit that persists into fall. Though sometimes unkempt in appearance, it earns its place in the garden through spectacular seasonal displays and surprising resilience, though gardeners in colder regions should provide winter protection and siting in sheltered locations.
Partial Sun
Moderate
7-10
240in H x 240in W
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High
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The fragrant white flowers arrive late in the season, opening in long-peduncled clusters up to 6 to 9 inches across along the upper leaf axils. What follows is equally rewarding: jewel-like blue fruit that lights up the late-season garden long after blooms fade. The foliage carries a distinctive malodorous quality that some gardeners consider a quirk rather than a flaw, adding an element of personality to this deciduous shrub that refuses to be ordinary.
Clerodendrum trichotomum serves beautifully as a hedge plant, its substantial mature size and dense growth habit creating effective screens and boundaries. Beyond hedging, it functions as a specimen shrub or small tree where its late-summer flowers and autumn fruit provide visual interest during a season when many other ornamentals fade.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Prune in late winter or early spring to shape the plant and remove winter-damaged wood. Because Clerodendrum trichotomum naturally grows as a suckering shrub, allow multiple stems to develop rather than training to a single-tree form unless you have a specific design reason to do otherwise. Light pruning throughout the growing season keeps the shrub relatively tidy; more substantial pruning rejuvenates older plants.
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“Clerodendrum trichotomum journeyed from its native habitat in China and Japan into European and American gardens, where it carved out a devoted following among gardeners seeking dramatic late-season interest. Though it remained somewhat uncommon compared to more mainstream ornamental shrubs, collectors and botanical institutions recognized its value as a flowering and fruiting specimen, preserving and propagating it through nursery trade. Its arrival in North American gardens, particularly in the warmer zones where it thrives most reliably, reflects the 19th and 20th-century expansion of Asian plant introductions that transformed temperate landscape design.”