Peanut Butter tree - Ask Extension
Our condominium complex has a very attractive Clerodendrum trichotomum tree (Peanut butter tree). I'm getting mixed messages on it's invasive status i...
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Peanut Butter tree #805990
Asked August 12, 2022, 4:55 PM EDT
Our condominium complex has a very attractive Clerodendrum trichotomum tree (Peanut butter tree). I'm getting mixed messages on it's invasive status in Oregon. It's within a bed near a building and standard sidewalks, but it does have quite a few suckers around it. Other than the ongoing removal of suckers, is there any concern about the tree to our local ecosystem? Would it be wrong to try to transplant one of the volunteers to another area where it can be controlled?
Washington County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi, Kathy-
Clerodendrum trichotomum is a very pretty tree native to China and Japan. It isn't listed as a noxious weed in the Pacific Northwest, but it can spread vigorously. If you transplant a sucker from the parent tree to an area that is surrounded by sidewalks, buildings, roads, etc. so that future suckers won't have a chance to spread and you inspect the area regularly, then you probably don't have to worry too much. I don't think it spreads much by seed, but you could also take the precaution of pruning off the flowers after they finish blooming (thought the bright blue fruit is one of the tree's aesthetic features).
We had a couple of these trees in one of our demonstration gardens but removed them because of all the suckers. I never saw any volunteer trees that were spread by seeds, however.
So, I think you could go ahead and transplant a sucker to an appropriate area as long as someone keeps an eye out for future suckers and any "volunteer" trees that might appear nearby.
Clerodendrum trichotomum is a very pretty tree native to China and Japan. It isn't listed as a noxious weed in the Pacific Northwest, but it can spread vigorously. If you transplant a sucker from the parent tree to an area that is surrounded by sidewalks, buildings, roads, etc. so that future suckers won't have a chance to spread and you inspect the area regularly, then you probably don't have to worry too much. I don't think it spreads much by seed, but you could also take the precaution of pruning off the flowers after they finish blooming (thought the bright blue fruit is one of the tree's aesthetic features).
We had a couple of these trees in one of our demonstration gardens but removed them because of all the suckers. I never saw any volunteer trees that were spread by seeds, however.
So, I think you could go ahead and transplant a sucker to an appropriate area as long as someone keeps an eye out for future suckers and any "volunteer" trees that might appear nearby.
