Duranta Erecta Thread

[cockroach]

I have seen very few "Golden Dewdrop" bonsai online and none yet in person.
I found this bush next to a friend's driveway, it was getting shaded out and slowing growth. So two summers ago, it was raining for about 3 weeks and the soil was waterlogged. I touch the plant, realized it was loose and pulled on it. It almost completely came out. I got an axe, chopped the main root and voila.

I thought I have pictures of it from its styrofoam grow box, but nope.
So these are the only pics I have of it.

 

[thomas22]

Wow, That is really nice.
I just picked up my second Duranta a few months. Not as good as yours but I'm excited about it.

 

[americanelmer]

They seem to be indestructible. My first one came from my sons swimming pool about 6 years ago. He hated it and pulled it out of where it was gowing and threw it into a corner of his backyard in the full Florida sun.
About 4 days later he told me about it and I went to rescue it. I repotted it and about 2 weeks later it was full of new growth.
About 2 weeks ago we had a few hours of 30 degree F Which caused all the leaves to fall off and some branch tips to turn black. It has resumed growing again as of this AM.

 

[cockroach]

Wow, That is really nice.
I just picked up my second Duranta a few months. Not as good as yours but I'm excited about it.

Post some pics. Let's see it.

They seem to be indestructible. .

In the right climate I think you have to actually try to kill it for it to happen. Any pics of yours?

 

[thomas22]

The second tree is Golden Dewdrop and is way bigger than it looks in the pic. That's like a 20 gallon container. The first is not Golden Dewdrop but I think Duranta Erecta. Both of these are last years pic.

 

[cockroach]

That first one you posted is a cracker of a tree!

 

[cockroach]

Tonight's pics. The leaves have filled in more now. They get trimmed about every 2 weeks or so. Not hard trimmed just stopping lanky growth.


Leaves close up


Top view

 

[my nellie]

Beware, Duranta is highly poisonous to pets and children!

 

[cockroach]

Beware, Duranta is highly poisonous to pets and children!

I never knew that. But after another thread on here talking about it I read up a bit and was surprised to learn that.
They grow everywhere here. I don't think I have seen a school with these growing in the yard or in a pot somewhere. was quite surprised.

Fortunately, I have not had any problems with this plant besides the fact that mealy bugs cannot resist them.

 

[cockroach]

A darker pic with just the top light on.


And some wood detail.


The peg on the bottom right is just holding it exactly in place until the roots have taken properly.

 

[cockroach]

my smaller duranta was knocked over by workers doing something at the neighbours house. The idiots said nothing after knocking down 3 plants and breaking the pots.
they just picked them up off the paved path, and hid them under the benches where I couldn't see them from my place.
Noticed them after 3 or so days.
This guy nearly didn't make it and took ages to grow leaves again. almost all the lower branches were dried so i decided, literati it shall become.


Disease and pests are an ever-present, never-ending issue with this species here. Almost every garden has some, none looks after them so keeping disease and mealy bugs away from mine is a full time job.

 

[cockroach]

Found a garden pic with the tree pre-assassination attempt.