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Clerodendrum tomentosum

downy chance

Lamiaceae Eastern and northern Australia

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Fragrant (moderate)Container Friendly

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 9–11

Overview

Clerodendrum tomentosum is an evergreen to semi-deciduous shrub or small tree growing 6-26 feet (2-8 m) tall, with an upright, often multi-stemmed habit and densely hairy young shoots. The opposite leaves are oval to lance-shaped, 2-6 inches (5-15 cm) long, dull green and covered with soft hairs that give the foliage a felted feel, with a strong scent when crushed. White tubular flowers about 0.8-1 inch (2-2.5 cm) long, with long protruding stamens and a sweet fragrance, open in branched clusters at the branch tips in spring and summer. As the flowers fade, the green calyx enlarges and turns red. The fruit is a shining black, four-lobed drupe seated on the spreading red calyx, so ripe plants carry contrasting black and red against the foliage. Plants sucker from the roots and can form thickets. Growth is moderate to fast in warm, moist conditions and slows markedly in cold or dry sites.

Native Range

Native to eastern and northern Australia, from Tasmania and Victoria north through New South Wales and Queensland to the Northern Territory, with related populations in New Guinea and the Pacific. Grows in rainforest margins, wet sclerophyll forest, and along watercourses in moist, fertile soils.

Suggested Uses

Grown as a screening or habitat shrub in gardens and rainforest plantings, spaced 6-13 feet (1.8-4 m) apart. The flowers and fruit are used by native insects and birds. The suckering habit suits larger, informal gardens rather than confined beds.

How to Identify

Recognized by softly hairy, strongly scented opposite leaves 2-6 inches (5-15 cm) long, white long-stamened tubular flowers, and shining black fruit set on a spreading red calyx. The red calyx with black drupe separates it from other eastern Clerodendrum spp. forms. Young stems and leaf undersides are densely woolly, the source of the name tomentosum.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height6' - 26'

Width/Spread6' - 13'

Reaches mature size in approximately 5 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowers from October to February, with peak bloom in summer. Flower clusters carry a sweet scent and open over several weeks. The red calyx and black fruit that follow extend the period of color into autumn.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

white with red calyx

Foliage Description

dull green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam clay

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

tender

Time to Maturity

3-5 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in moist, well-drained, fertile soils in full sun to part shade. Established plants tolerate short dry spells but grow slowly without summer moisture. The species suckers from the roots and can spread into a thicket, so it needs room or root control in small gardens. Frost cuts back soft growth in cold areas, and plants reshoot from the base in spring. Few serious pests affect it, though leaf-eating beetles chew foliage in warm months.

Pruning

Cut back in late winter to control size and remove frost-damaged stems; plants reshoot from old wood and the base. Removing root suckers limits spread into surrounding beds. Light tip pruning after flowering keeps the shrub dense.