Plant Finder
Sunstruck Duranta
Duranta erecta 'Sunstruck'
Height: 3 feet
Spread: 3 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 8b
Other Names: Sky Flower, Golden Dew Drop, Pigeon Berry
Description:
A stunning shrub producing bright yellow new foliage that eventually matures to gold with chartreuse highlights; pretty purple flowers in summer are followed by yellow-orange berries; may be shaped into low hedges; a great garden or landscape accent
Ornamental Features
Sunstruck Duranta features showy clusters of purple flowers at the ends of the branches in mid summer. It has gold evergreen foliage which emerges yellow in spring. The glossy pointy leaves remain gold throughout the winter. It produces orange berries in late summer.
Landscape Attributes
Sunstruck Duranta is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.
This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting birds and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Sunstruck Duranta is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Accent
- General Garden Use
- Container Planting
Planting & Growing
Sunstruck Duranta will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. It has a low canopy. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.
This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selection of a native North American species, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets.
Sunstruck Duranta makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
