The "Sapphire Showers" golden dewdrop (Duranta erecta "Sapphire Showers") adds interest to the landscape with its clusters of bluish-purple, trumpet-shaped flowers. Flowers appear in summer and attract butterflies. Also known as Picotee sky flower or pigeonberry, this fast-growing specimen prefers full sunlight and well-draining, slightly acidic soils. Hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 9 through 11, it requires 12 to 15 feet of space to accommodate its mature spread.
Pull any weeds growing around or underneath the canopy of the "Sapphire Showers" golden dewdrop. Pick up any debris such as dead leaves, twigs and rocks. Spread a 2- to-4-inch layer of mulch around the base of the plant with a rake. Keep the mulch 4 inches away from the plant's main trunk to prevent the formation of mold or rot.
Allow the top 2 to 3 inches of soil to dry before applying water to the shrub. Flood the ground surrounding the plant with water from a garden hose, applying 1 inch of water. Apply the water during the morning hours at a slow rate to avoid splashing the leaves. Never allow the soil to become soggy.
Administer a 10-10-10 slow-release fertilizer every three months during the growing season. Make the first application in the spring when the plant breaks out of dormancy and unfurls its leaves. Apply the fertilizer at a rate of 1 tablespoon per square foot of soil underneath the plant's canopy. Broadcast the fertilizer granules evenly in a 12-inch-wide ring just under the tips of the branches. Rake the fertilizer into the top 3 inches of soil. Water the area deeply to activate the fertilizer.
Prune the plant in the late winter or early spring while it is dormant. Remove up to one-third of the oldest branches to open up the canopy and increase the air-movement and sunlight penetration through the plant's center. Cut out any broken, dead or diseased branches. Remove any branches that cross or rub against others. Cut back the tips of extremely long or scraggly branches to give the plant a rounded silhouette. Make each cut 1/4 inch above an outward facing lateral branch, growth node or trunk with a pair of pruning shears.
Cut back aggressive branches periodically throughout the growing season to maintain an aesthetically pleasing shape. Make each cut just above an outward facing leaf. Discard the removed plant material.
Deadhead spent flowers throughout the blooming period to promote continued bloom production. Wait until the flower's color fades and the petals begin to droop. Cut through the flower stalk at a point just above the second set of leaves below the bloom.
Observe the leaves for signs of disease or insect damage each time you water the plant. Wash off small populations of aphids or mites with a steady stream of water. Spray leaves heavily infested with aphids or whiteflies with an insecticidal soap or horticultural oil.
Your Planting Articles
Things You Will Need
- Garden hose
- 10-10-10 slow-release fertilizer
- Pruning shears
- Insecticidal soap or horticultural oil.
- The fruit of "Sapphire Showers" golden dewdrop is poisonous to humans. Do not ingest the fruit. Do not plant it in areas where children play.
- Sunset Western Garden Book; Kathleen Norris Brenzel
- Flowering Shrubs and Small Trees for the South; Marie Harrison
- Floridata: Duranta Erecta
- San Marcos Growers: Duranta erecta 'Sapphire Showers' - Picotee Sky Flower