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| Category: Shrub |
| Family: Verbenaceae (Vervains) |
| Origin: West Indies (North America) |
| Flower Color: Blue |
| Bloomtime: Summer |
| Synonyms: [Duranta plumieri, D. repens] |
| Height: 10-16 feet |
| Width: 4-6 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
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Duranta erecta 'Golden Edge' - An upright evergreen shrub spreads with slightly arching branches to 12 feet or more tall (have had reports of it reaching 14 feet) and nearly as wide. The species, which grows taller and is sometimes seen as a small tree, is typically grown for its summer blue flower and ornamental fruit but this cultivar adds a splash of foliage color to the mix with bright yellow margins on the leaves. In the summer, cascading clusters of light blue tubular flowers appear followed by wonderfully contrasting orange-yellow berries. In mild climates this plant can be in flower nearly year round with flowers and fruit appearing at the same time. It does best in full sun with frequent deep watering and is hardy to about 20-25 ° F. A good choice for espaliers, as a small tree or large bush; all forms benefit from frequent selective pruning. Flowers are very attractive to butterflies. Duranta erecta, long grown as D. repens is native to the New World from Florida, the Caribbean south to Brazil and has many common names, including golden dewdrop, pigeon-berry and sky-flower. The attractive fruits and the foliage have saponins that are poisonous to humans. Both are considered to be bitter and while poisonings in the US were unreported in 1986 when Poisonous Plants of California was published (Thomas C. Fuller and Elizabeth McClintock, University of California Press, 1986), there were reports of children becoming ill from eating berries in Australia.
Information displayed on this page about Duranta erecta 'Golden Edge' is based on the research conducted about it in our library and from reliable online resources. We also note those observations we have made of this plant as it grows in the nursery's garden and in other gardens, as well how crops have performed in our nursery field. We will incorporate comments we receive from others, and welcome to hear from anyone who may have additional information, particularly if they share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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