Duranta repens/ Duranta erecta (Sky flower)
Posted: September 29th, 2013, 5:36 am
| Botanical Name | Duranta erecta/ Duranta repens |
| Family | Verbenaceae |
| Genus | Duranta |
| Specie | erecta |
| Local Name in Urdu | Not a local plant |
| Common Name | Sky flower, Golden dewdrops |
| Life Cycle | Evergreen tropical plant |
| Cultivar Name | Duranta erecta "Variegata" or "Alba" |
| Fragrant or Not | Mild fragrance that is remeniscent of candies |
| Category(Bush/Vine/Tree) | Tree, can be trained as a hedge |
| Height | Up to 15-25 ft if allowed to grow |
| Spacing | 4-5 ft, should be grown closely for hedges |
| Flowering Months | Summer to early winter |
| Flower Color | Blue, to light purple |
| Growing Areas | Through out Pakistan |
| Frost Tender | May tolerate cold periods |
| Exposure | Prefers full sun |
| Soil pH | Slightly acidic soil pH 5-6 |
| Propagation | Seeds, stem cuttings, air layering |
| Uses | Foliage, Ornamental flowers and seeds |
| Other Details | Duranta is a unique flower in the sense that everything associated with it is beautiful. The foliage comes in various shades of green from light yellowish green to deep green. The flowers are pale blue to purple in colour with dark streaks on 2-3 petals and a cream coloured center which is called the cream "eye" of Duranta. The fragrance is mild but it reminds you of candies. The orange coloured fruits, which appear as a string of beads look very attractive on dark green foliage. The seeds often persist in the winter as well. One can train Duranta as a hedge or as a tree with a single trunk. Some Durantas have spines. The plant is attactive to bees, birds and unwanted wasp/ hornets (I have been stung couple of times) so be carfeul before you prune dense hedges of this plant. The "Alba" variety has pure white flowers - although not as common as the blue flower. The "Variegata" has variegated leaves. Images from Javed Ashraf's collection |