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    Home»Herbs and Spices»Traditional Uses of Chou Wu Tong – Clerodendrum trichotomum
    Herbs and Spices

    Traditional Uses of Chou Wu Tong – Clerodendrum trichotomum

    By SylviaAugust 17, 2020Updated:August 17, 2020No Comments7 Mins Read
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    Clerodendrum trichotomum [kler-oh-DEN-drum, try-KOH-toh-mum] more commonly known as Chou Wu Tong is a flowering plant species, which is sometimes placed in the family Lamiaceae (the mint family) and sometimes classified as the member of the Verbenaceae family of plants. The plant is native to China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, India and the Philippines. Chou Wu Tong, Harlequin glorybower, Ferruginous clerodendrum, Harlequin Glory Bower, chance tree, Hardy Clerodendrum, Tree-of-Bad-Fortune, Tree-of-Good-Fortune, Japanese clerodendrum and Peanut butter shrub are some of the most common names of the plant. Scent of leaves, when crushed, is similar to the peanut butter smell. So Chou Wu Tong is also called as ‘Peanut butter tree‘.

    The name Clerodendrum is derives from the Greek word for chance (klero) and tree (dendrum).  This refers back to the trees original species name fortunata. The species name, trichotomum, refers to the three-lobed juvenile-leaves this species sometimes produces. It is cultivated for its fragrant flowers, autumn color, and ornamental berries. It is hardy but requires a sheltered position. Clerodendrum trichotomum was introduced into European cultivation around 1800.  It was described as early as 1916 in an early Danish book on trees and bushes, and it was sold by the Danish nurseryman Aksel Olsen as early as 1928.   It was tried in Hørsholm already in 1937. Our oldest living plants however date from 1977. In some parts of the world, the roots and leaves are also used for medicinal purposes.

    Chou Wu Tong Facts

    Chou Wu Tong Quick Facts
    Name: Chou Wu Tong
    Scientific Name: Clerodendrum trichotomum
    Origin China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, India and the Philippines
    Colors Initially white, but become bright blue and then dark blue as they mature
    Shapes Pea sized berry like fruit surrounded by the persistent star shaped crimson calyx
    Taste Acrid, bitter, sweet, astringent
    Health benefits Good for dermatitis, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, joint pain, numbness, paralysis and eczema
    Name Chou Wu Tong
    Scientific Name Clerodendrum trichotomum
    Native China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, India, and the Philippines
    Common Names Chou Wu Tong, Harlequin glorybower, Ferruginous clerodendrum, Harlequin Glory Bower, chance tree, Hardy Clerodendrum, Tree-of-Bad-Fortune, Tree-of-Good-Fortune, Japanese clerodendrum, Peanut butter shrub 
    Name in Other Languages Chinese: Hai zhou chang shan (海州常山), Shān zhū jiā (山豬枷), Chou Wu Tong
    Danish: Almindelig Skæbnetræ
    English: Glorytree, Harlequin glorybower , Ferruginous clerodendrum, ferruginous clerodendrum, glory bower
    Finnish: Isokohtalonköynnös, Isokohtalonpensas
    French: Arbre du clergé, arbre de la chance
    German: Japanischer Losbaum, chinesischer Losbaum, kurzborstiger Losbaum
    Japanese: Kusagi  (クサギ)
    Korean: Nu li jang na mu (누리장나무)
    Manipuri: Bp-mana
    Portuguese: Clerodendro-do-Japão       
    Russian: klerodendrum trizhdy vetvyashchiysya  (клеродендрум триждыветвящийся), klerodendrum trokhvil’chatyy (клеродендрум трёхвильчатый), klerodendrum trokhrazdel’nyy  (клеродендрум трёхраздельный)
    Swedish: Frilandsklerodendrum Turkish: Kısmet ağacı
    Plant Growth Habit Large, deciduous or evergreen shrubs or small trees
    Growing Climates Thickets on mountain slopes, throughout most of China
    Soil Thickets on mountain slopes, throughout most of China
    Plant Size 3–6 meters (10–20 ft.) tall  and may reach 7 m in height in nature
    Bark Grey and smooth with many lenticels
    Leaf Leaves are variable in size, and considerably larger on young plants than on adult ones. They are ovate or oval, 10-23 cm long and 5-10 cm wide
    Flowering season August to October
    Flower Fragrant flowers are borne on branching peduncles. They have white petals, held within a green calyx which turns red as the fruits ripen
    Fruit Shape & Size pea sized berry like fruit surrounded by the persistent star shaped crimson calyx
    Fruit Color Initially white, but become bright blue and then dark blue as they mature
    Propagation By root cuttings or semi-hardwood cuttings
    Flavor/Aroma Off-flavor in smell
    Taste Acrid, bitter, sweet, astringent
    Plant Parts Used Leaves
    Culinary Uses
    • Young sprouts and leaves are consumed after being cooked.

    Plant Description

    Chou Wu Tong is a large, deciduous or evergreen shrubs or small trees that normally grows about 3–6 meters (10–20 ft.) tall and may reach 7 m in height in nature. The plant is found growing in thickets on mountain slopes, throughout most of China. The plant prefers a fertile humus-rich well-drained loam. The soil must not be allowed to dry out in the growing season. It is most often seen as a suckering shrub. It must be trained to grow as a tree and is rarely seen growing in that form. As an ornamental, this shrub is perhaps best noted for its late summer flowers, showy fruit and foul-smelling foliage. Bark of the plant is grey and smooth with many lenticels.

    Leaves

    The leaves are situated opposite on the shoots. Leaves are variable in size, and considerably larger on young plants than on adult ones. They are ovate or oval, 10-23 cm long and 5-10 cm wide, occasionally toothed, soft, with scattered down beneath, and flaccid. Stalks are downy, 1 to 4 in. long. The lower leaves are sometimes deeply two or three lobed towards the apex. The upper surface of the leaf is deep green with some bristly hairs and the lower surface is lighter green with hairs especially on the veins. When bruised, the leaves do produce a unique aroma reminiscent of peanut butter as memorialized by the sometimes used common name of peanut butter tree for this plant.

    Leaf arrangement Opposite/sub opposite
    Leaf type Simple
    Leaf margin Entire
    Leaf shape Elliptic (oval), ovate
    Leaf venation Pinnate
    Leaf type and persistence Deciduous
    Leaf blade length 4 to 8 inches, 8 to 12 inches
    Leaf color Green
    Fall color No color change
    Fall characteristic Not showy

    Flower

    Flowers are fragrant, produced from July to September in long-stalked cymes from the axils of the uppermost leaves, the whole forming an erect inflorescence 6 to 9 in. across. The corolla is white, 1 to 11⁄2 in. across, deeply 5 lobed with a rather long corolla tube, and long stamens and styles that project out of the flower some distance.  Calyx is reddish, 1⁄2 in. long, inflated, five-angled, and five-lobed. The flowers are strongly fragrant and are reported to attract butterflies and moths.  Flowering occurs over an extended period from and can occur simultaneously with ripening fruit.

    Flower color Red
    Flower characteristics Showy
    Chou Wu Tong Image Gallery
    Bark-of-Chou-Wu-Tong Bark-of-Chou-Wu-Tong
    Chou-Wu-Tong-Flower-opening-from-bud Chou-Wu-Tong-Flower-opening-from-bud
    Chou-Wu-Tong-Plant Chou-Wu-Tong-Plant
    Chou-Wu-Tong-powder Chou-Wu-Tong-powder
    Closer-view-of-flower-of-Chou-Wu-Tong Closer-view-of-flower-of-Chou-Wu-Tong
    Development-of-fruit-of-Chou-Wu-Tong Development-of-fruit-of-Chou-Wu-Tong
    Flowers-of-Chou-Wu-Tong Flowers-of-Chou-Wu-Tong
    Leaf-of-Chou-Wu-Tong Leaf-of-Chou-Wu-Tong
    Mature-fruits-of-Chou-Wu-Tong Mature-fruits-of-Chou-Wu-Tong
    Sketch-of-Chou-Wu-Tong Sketch-of-Chou-Wu-Tong
    Twigs-and-buds-of-Chou-Wu-Tong Twigs-and-buds-of-Chou-Wu-Tong
    Young-Leaves-of-Chou-Wu-Tong Young-Leaves-of-Chou-Wu-Tong

    Fruits

    Fertile flowers are followed by pea sized berry like fruit surrounded by the persistent star shaped crimson calyx whose lobes have become fleshy and spreading. They are initially white, but become bright blue and then dark blue as they mature. The color is due to the presence of a unique blue pigment, named trichtomine after the plant

    Fruit shape Round
    Fruit length Less than .5 inch
    Fruit covering Fleshy
    Fruit color Blue
    Fruit characteristics Does not attract wildlife; not showy; fruit/leaves not a litter problem

     

    Traditional uses and benefits of Chou Wu Tong

    • Leaves are mildly analgesic, antipruritic, hypotensive and sedative.
    • They are used externally in the treatment of dermatitis and internally for the treatment of hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, joint pain, numbness and paralysis.
    • The plant is normally used in conjunction with Bidens bipinnata.
    • When used with the herb Siegesbeckia pubescens it is anti-inflammatory.
    • Roots and leaves are anti-rheumatic and hypotensive.
    • Decoction is used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and hypertension.
    • The pounded seed is used to kill lice.
    • In Chinese herbal medicine, chou wu tong is recommended for joint pain, numbness, and paralysis, and occasionally for eczema.
    • Traditionally regarded as a plant that “dispels wind dampness,” it is now also being used to help lower blood pressure.
    • The plant is mildly analgesic and, when used with the herb Siegesbeckia pubescens, is anti-inflammatory.
    • This species also known as a medicine-plant which has a proven ability to lower blood pressure.

    Other facts

    • The leaves have a heavy unpleasant odor when crushed.
    • The wood has been used to make clogs and the berries to make dyes.
    • It’s beautiful and fragrant white flowers are highly attractive to butterflies, honeybees, hummingbirds, and many other pollinators.

    References:

    https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=501588#null

    https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Clerodendrum+trichotomum

    https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=287499&isprofile=0&

    https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=CLTR

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clerodendrum_trichotomum

    https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/st171

    http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-43122

    https://treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/clerodendrum/clerodendrum-trichotomum/

    http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Clerodendrum+trichotomum

    https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?194

    https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/CLZTR

    https://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/772/#b

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    Chou Wu Tong Scientific Classification

    Scientific Name: Clerodendrum trichotomum

    Rank Scientific Name & (Common Name)
    Kingdom Plantae (Plants)
    Subkingdom Tracheobionta (Vascular plants)
    Infrakingdom Streptophyta  (land plants)
    Super Division Spermatophyta (Seed plants)
    Division Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants)
    Sub Division Spermatophytina  (spermatophytes, seed plants, phanérogames)
    Class Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)
    Sub Class Asteridae
    Super Order Asteranae
    Order Lamiales
    Family Verbenaceae (Verbena family)
    Genus Clerodendrum L. (glorybower)
    Species Clerodendrum trichotomum Thunb. (harlequin glorybower)
    Synonyms
    • Clerodendron trichotomum Thunb., 1780
    • Clerodendrum fargesii Dode
    • Clerodendrum koshunense Hayata
    • Clerodendrum serotinum Carrière
    • Clerodendrum trichotomum f. albicarpum Satomi
    • Clerodendrum trichotomum f. ferrugineum (Nakai) Ohwi
    • Clerodendrum trichotomum var. esculentum Makino
    • Clerodendrum trichotomum var. fargesii (Dode) Rehder
    • Clerodendrum trichotomum var. ferrugineum Nakai
    • Clerodendrum trichotomum var. tomentosum Moldenke
    • Clerodendrum trichotomum var. trichotomum Thunb.
    • Clerodendrum trichotomum var. villosum P.S.Hsu
    • Clerodendrum yakusimense (Nakai) Nakai
    • Ovieda trichotoma (Thunb.) Baill.
    • Siphonanthus trichotomus (Thunb.) Nakai
    • Siphonanthus trichotomus var. esculentus (Makino) Nakai
    • Siphonanthus trichotomus var. fargesii (Dode) Nakai
    • Siphonanthus trichotomus var. ferrugineus (Nakai) Nakai
    • Siphonanthus yakusimensis Nakai
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