# Turk's Turban (*Clerodendrum indicum*) Turk's Turban is a colorful plant with bright flowers that look like little hats! It grows in warm places and attracts butterflies and bees, making gardens look lively and fun. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Tropical areas ![Turk's Turban](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Clerodendrum_indicum_fruits_0.jpg&width=800) Photo: Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clerodendrum_indicum_fruits_0.jpg) ## Appearance The Turk's Turban has striking white, trumpet-shaped flowers that emerge from vivid red, turban-like calyces. These bright red parts persist long after the white petals fall, making the plant visually distinct. Its tall, upright stems are clothed in large, green leaves. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Lamiales - **Family:** Lamiaceae - **Genus:** Clerodendrum ## Interesting facts - It belongs to the same plant family as basil and mint, the Lamiaceae! - Its unique flower shape earned it the name 'Turk's Turban'! - The plant's vibrant red 'turbans' can stay on the stem for weeks or even months! - This tall plant can reach over 8 feet high, towering above many garden flowers! ## Special abilities - **Lasting Turban:** Turk's Turban has bright red, turban-shaped flower parts that stay colorful even after the white petals drop, helping it display its seeds. - **Long-Tongue Lure:** It produces long, narrow, tubular flowers that attract specific pollinators like moths with extra-long proboscises to collect nectar. - **Seed Protection:** Its hard, persistent calyx covers and protects the developing seeds from hungry animals and harsh weather conditions. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 100-250 cm - **Spread:** 50-150 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-3 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer-fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Hummingbird Hawk-moth](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hummingbird-hawk-moth) (*Macroglossum stellatarum*) — visits its long, tubular flowers for nectar - **Eaten by:** Oleander Hawk-moth (*Daphnis nerii*) — larvae feed on its leaves and stems - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar from its many flowers ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always ask an adult before touching or picking plants. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Turk's Turban? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Turk's Turban? 100-250 cm ### How wide does Turk's Turban spread? 50-150 cm ### How big are the flowers on Turk's Turban? 2-3 cm ### When does Turk's Turban bloom? Summer-fall ### Is Turk's Turban edible? No ### Is Turk's Turban toxic? Mild ### What is Turk's Turban's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Bok Tower Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bok-tower-gardens) — Florida, US · Botanical Garden - [Kahanu Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kahanu-garden) — Hawaii, US · Botanical Garden ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Turk's Turban: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/turks-turban)