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| Category: Shrub |
| Family: Verbenaceae (Vervains) |
| Origin: West Indies (North America) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Blue |
| Bloomtime: Summer |
| Synonyms: [Duranta repens 'Sapphire Showers'] |
| Height: 15-25 feet |
| Width: 8-12 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
| May be Poisonous (More Info): Yes |
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Duranta erecta 'Sapphire Showers' (Picotee Sky Flower) - Grown for its summer flowers and ornamental fruit, this selection of the popular Pigeon Berry may prove more compact than the species, which grows with an arching habit to 25 feet tall and nearly as wide - grown as a tree it is more upright in habit with a spread about half the width. In late spring and summer, cascading clusters of 3/4 inch wide tubular flowers are an intense violet-blue with a white picotee edge along the flared petal tips. As with the species the flowers are 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. Besides its more compact nature, 'Sapphire Showers' seems to be lacking the long spines that are occasionally found arising from the leaf axils on typical Duranta erecta plants. 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.
The information about Duranta erecta 'Sapphire Showers' displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant. |
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