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Clerodendrum villosum Blume

Family Name:	Lamiaceae (Labiatae)
Common Name:	绢毛大青

Full Sun

Moderate Water

Bird-Attracting Plant

Butterfly-Attracting Plant

Native to Singapore

Herb or Spice

Suitable for Roadsides

Ornamental Flowers

Ornamental Leaves

Shrub

Tree

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants)
Plant Growth Form	Shrub, Tree (Small (6m-15m))
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Perennial

Native Distribution	India to Myanmar, Indochina, Thailand, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Borneo, and Java
Native Habitat	Terrestrial (Primary Rainforest, Secondary Rainforest, Freshwater Swamp Forest, Grassland / Savannah/ Scrubland, Disturbed Area / Open Ground)
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical

Local Conservation Status

Native to Singapore (Vulnerable (VU))

Growth Form	It is a shrub or small tree up to 7.5 m tall and entirely covered with soft, often thick velvety, white hairs.
Foliage	Its opposite, stalked leaves possess leaf blades that are light green, mostly heart-shaped, and 7–29 by 5–21 cm, with short tips.
Flowers	Its flowering clusters, at the branch tips, are shoots up to 31 cm long and wide, bearing white, 1.3 cm-wide flowers.

Fruit	Its black fruits are round and 8–10 mm wide. The fruits are seated on a fleshy, star-like, white, cup-like structure formed by the persistent calyx.
Habitat	It grows along forest margins, in open countries, villages, and waste places, up to 900 m altitude. It occurs locally in Nee Soon Swamp Forest, Pulau Tekong, and in the vicinity of Old Upper Thomson Road and Seletar Reservoir.
Associated Fauna	Its flowers are insect-pollinated and its fruits are eaten by birds.
Cultivation	It can be propagated by seed.
Etymology	Greek kleros, chance; Greek dendron, a tree, referring to the variable medicinal efficacies of the plants in this genus; Latin villosum, covered with soft hair, referring to the hair found on this plant
Ethnobotanical Uses	Edible Plant Parts : Edible Stems Food (Herb or Spice): The bark is eaten as a betel nut substitute. Medicinal: Poison from darts can be removed using the leaves.

Landscaping	This species can be grown in parks and gardens as a shrub and may be tolerant of roadside conditions. The whitish appearance of the plant from its hairs, the large inflorescences, and shiny black fruits, make it distinctive and attractive.
Desirable Plant Features	Ornamental Flowers, Ornamental Foliage, Ornamental Fruits
Landscape Uses	General, Suitable for Roadsides, Parks & Gardens, Small Gardens

Thematic Landscaping

Silver Garden

Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna	Bird-Attracting, Butterfly-Attracting
Pollination Method(s)	Biotic (Fauna)
Seed or Spore Dispersal	Biotic (Fauna)

Light Preference	Full Sun
Water Preference	Moderate Water
Rootzone Tolerance	Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils, Fertile Loamy Soils

Propagation Method

Seed

Foliage Retention	Evergreen
Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green, Green - Light Green, Silver / Grey
Mature Foliage Texture(s)	Velvety / Furry / Tomentose

Foliar Type	Simple / Unifoliate
Foliar Arrangement Along Stem	Opposite
Foliar Attachment to Stem	Petiolate
Foliar Shape(s)	Non-Palm Foliage (Cordate)
Foliar Venation	Pinnate / Net
Foliar Margin	Entire
Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio	4.5 (Shrub & Groundcover - Dicot)

Flower Location	Terminal
Flower Symmetry	Bilateral

Mature Fruit Colour(s)	Black
Fruit Classification	Simple Fruit
Fruit Type	Fleshy Fruit , Non-Accessory Fruit

Images

Master ID	534
Species ID	1830
Flora Disclaimer	The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.