Common Name Type Family Native Range Zone Height Spread Bloom Time Bloom Description Sun Water Maintenance Suggested Use Flower Leaf Fruit Other |
golden dewdrops Broadleaf evergreen Verbenaceae Tropical America 10 to 11 2.00 to 4.00 feet 1.00 to 2.00 feet Seasonal bloomer Light blue, violet or white Full sun Medium Medium Annual Showy Evergreen Showy Thorns |
Culture Winter hardy to USDA Zones 10-11 where plants are grown in moist, fertile, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates light shade, but best flowering is in full sun. Tolerates wide range of soils. Container plants must be brought inside in fall before first frost for overwintering in a bright sun room. Noteworthy Characteristics Duranta erecta, commonly called golden dewdrop, pigeon berry or sky flower, is native from Florida to Brazil and in the West Indies. It is a spreading, sometimes weeping, evergreen shrub or small tree that grows to 15-18’ tall in its native habitat. Sharp axillary thorns are usually present on stems of mature plants, but are usually absent on young plants. Features drooping axillary and terminal racemes of light blue to violet flowers which bloom summer to fall. Flowers give way in fall to drooping clusters of yellow-orange drupes (golden dewberries as it were). Fruit often does not appear on plants grown in the St. Louis area. Oval rounded light green leaves (to 2” long). Genus name honors Castore Durante (c.1529-1590), Papal physician and botanist in Rome. Specific epithet means upright or erect. Problems No serious insect or disease problems. Watch for whiteflies. For more information see: Problems Common to Many Indoor Plants Garden Uses Hedge, border plant, lawn specimen or train as small tree in warm climates. In St. Louis, grow as annual, in containers, houseplant or greenhouses. |
Information on this page is generally from Missouri Botanical Gardens, Dave’s Garden, All things Plants or Texas Superstar |
Information on this page is from Missouri Botanical Gardens, Dave’s Garden, All things Plants or Texas Superstar Photo: [Enter user initials/name] / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-3.0 |