Golden Dewdrops
Duranta erecta
- Native to:
- Bahamas, Cayman Is., Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guam, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Mexico, Navassa Island, Nicaragua, Palau, Panamá, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, United States, Venezuelan Antilles, Windward Is.
iNaturalist: © custoantonio18 (iNaturalist #142703312)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Verbenaceae
- Genus:
- Duranta
- Species:
- Duranta erecta
- USDA Symbol:
- DUER
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Tree
- Height:
- 600 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may,jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- blue, purple, white
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Tetraschistis leucogramma
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens), Crotch bumble bee (Bombus crotchii), Yellow-faced bumble (Bombus vosnesenskii) Hummingbirds: Allen's Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin), Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) Moths:Rustic Sphinx (Manduca rustica) Butterflies:Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), Julia butterfly (Dione vanillae), Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus), Marius Hairstreak (Rekoa marius), ⚠️Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), Southern Dogface (Zerene cesonia), White-striped Longtail (Chioides albofasciatus)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- butterflies, hummingbirds, birds
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to tropical and subtropical regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 30–60 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily when fresh; remove pulp from berries before sowing. Warm temperatures (70-85°F) improve germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI