Clerodendrum trichotomum ‘Glory Bower’ Peanut butter tree

White summer flowers perfume summer evenings with a sweet Lilly scent. Known by the name of Peanut Butter tree, because the foliage smells distinctly like peanut butter when rubbed. It doesn’t belong to the peanut family, so those allergic to peanuts, don’t despair… this tree is safe to rub and sniff. Indispensable in a scent garden, this tree/ large shrub also sports showy flowers and ornamental puffy pink star-shaped fruit with a bright blue metallic bead in the center. The flowers and fruit appear simultaneously decorating the tree in an unusual and delightful manner.

Glory Bower naturally forms a suckering large shrub. It must be trained to be a small tree. Leave a few large upright branches and prune out the unwanted ones. I would also lay landscape fabric and heavy mulch to prevent suckers. Without pruning it can have a rather unkempt look. If you’d like to see it , the ‘International Rose Test garden’ in Portland OR. has a nice specimen at the entrance.