It is distributed from Batemans Bay (35° S) in southern coastal New South Wales, to Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia, and New Guinea.

The generic name Clerodendrum was coined by the father of modern taxonomy, Carl Linnaeus.

Clerodendrum is from the Greek κλῆρος (klêros) 'allotment' and δένδρον (déndron) 'tree', while tomentosum refers to downy or hairy leaves.

Recent phylogenetic studies[4] have shown that the genus Clerodendrum belongs in the mint family.

[citation needed] Clerodendrum tomentosum grows up to 15 metres tall with a trunk diameter of 25 cm,[5] though usually much smaller.

[citation needed] White flowers form in dense heads from October to January.

[citation needed] The fruit is a black shiny or navy blue drupe with four lobes.