Pigeon Berry (Duranta erecta)
[doo-RAN-tah ee-REK-tah]

Evergreen Perennial (usually grown as an annual near you) in the Verbenaceae Family
A fast-growing tropical shrub covered in violet-blue flowers all summer, loved by butterflies and hummingbirds -- but its golden berries are poisonous to pets and people, so keep them out of reach.
Golden dewdrop (also called pigeon berry or skyflower) is a sprawling, fast-growing evergreen shrub native to the warmer parts of the Americas. In its true tropical and subtropical range (USDA zones 9-11) it can reach 10-15 ft tall and wide, but in the Chicago area it's grown as a container plant or a fast annual, typically reaching 2-4 ft in a single season before frost. Clusters of small, five-petaled flowers -- usually blue to violet, sometimes edged in white or occasionally solid white or pink -- appear continuously from summer into fall, followed by round, golden-orange berries. The flowers are a strong draw for butterflies, bumblebees, and hummingbirds. Every part of the plant should be treated as off-limits to pets and children: the leaves and especially the unripe berries contain compounds (including a saponin glycoside and hydrocyanic acid) that have been documented to kill dogs and cats, and mature stems can develop sharp thorns.

Pros

  • Blooms continuously from summer through fall, attracting butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds
  • Fast grower that fills out quickly in a single season as a container or bedding annual
  • Tolerates heat, humidity, and a wide range of soils once established
  • Drought-tolerant once its roots are established

Cons

  • All parts are poisonous if eaten, especially the berries -- confirmed cases of dogs and cats dying
  • Mature stems can develop sharp thorns
  • Not winter-hardy here; grow as an annual or bring indoors before frost
  • Can self-seed and naturalize in warm climates, where it's weedy
This plant is probably not winter-hardy outdoors where you live.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 24 - 48 inches tall. 12 - 24 inches wide.
Growth Rate Fast
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium - Dry
Zones 9a - 11b (Usually hardy to 20° F)
Tags Annual in Chicago, Dry, Evergreen, Full Sun, Medium, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial
Bloom Period Summer To Fall
Flower Color Blue To Violet, Occasionally White Or Pink
Foliage Color
 

More Info from Experts
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Pricing and Availability History

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!