Duranta

Duranta erecta

Flower name
Duranta
Scientific name
Duranta erecta
Aliasドゥランタ, Duranta, Brazilian skyflower, golden dewdrop, pigeon berry, skyflower, ハリマツリ, 針茉莉, ジュランカツラ, タイワンレンギョウ
Place of originS. Florida, Brazil, West Indies
Place of floweringGarden
Flowering seasonApril, May, June, July, August, September, November

What is Duranta

Duranta (Duranta erecta) is an evergreen shrub from the verbena family, native to Florida, Brazil, and the West Indies. It is also known by names such as "Harimatsuri (Needle Jasmine)," "Jurankatsura," "Brazilian skyflower," "Golden dewdrop," "Pigeon berry," and "Skyflower."
The plant grows to a height of 3–5 meters.
Its leaves are usually green, elliptical-lanceolate in shape, with serrated or toothed edges, and arranged oppositely.
From April to November, it extends panicle-shaped racemes from the leaf axils or stem tips, bearing small, 1–1.5 cm purple (rarely white) funnel-shaped flowers, with five-lobed tips that bloom like wisteria clusters.
After flowering, it produces spherical drupes around 0.7 cm in diameter, which are deep yellow or orange and grow in bunches like grapes. In some seasons, flowers and fruit may appear simultaneously.
Many cultivated varieties are widely available.

Flower Name Origin
The genus name "Duranta" is named after Castore Durante, a 16th-century Italian botanist. The species name "erecta" comes from the Latin word meaning "upright."

Duranta Varieties
Notable varieties include Takarazuka, which has purple flowers with white edges; Alba, which produces white flowers; Duranta repens (also known as Taiwan forsythia), which bears pale purple flowers; Variegata, which has variegated leaves; and Lime, which features light yellow-green leaves.

Common Name: Duranta
Scientific Name: Duranta erecta
Synonym: Duranta repens
Classification: Kingdom: Plantae, Angiosperms, Eudicots, Order: Lamiales, Family: Verbenaceae, Genus: Duranta, Species: Duranta erecta
Other Names: Harimatsuri (Needle Jasmine), Jurankatsura, Brazilian skyflower, Golden dewdrop, Pigeon berry, Skyflower
Origin: Florida, Brazil, West Indies
Tree Height: 3–5 meters
Leaf Shape: Elliptic-lanceolate; opposite arrangement with serrated edges
Blooming Period: April to November
Flower Color: Purple, white; funnel-shaped with five-lobed tips
Fruit Type: Drupe; spherical, 0.7 cm in diameter, yellow to orange
Note: Leaves and unripe fruits are toxic.
Uses: Garden trees, hedges, bonsai; leaves, stems, fruits, and flowers have medicinal properties.