The Zimbabwean Gardener Issue 2 Spring 2012 | Page 16

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Plant profile

Go for gold!
by Patsy Keevil

Duranta repens and its new, exciting
cultivars are plants worthy of a home in
anyone’s garden. Its striking coloured
foliage, blue flowers of varying shades,
followed by bunches of yellow berries is
of benefit to any herbaceous border. It is
hardy, quick growing and aptly described
as a no nonsense plant, especially as it is
easy to grow and disease tolerant.
This genus of about 30 species of
evergreen or semi-evergreen plants is
native to the southern parts of the USA,
and to Central and South America, where
it is found growing in thickets, scrubby
areas and open woodlands.

A cultivar is a race or
variety of a plant that has
been created or selected
intentionally and maintained
its unique character through
cultivation.

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These easy to grow shrubs are
the perfect addition to your
garden in the warmer weather.

Cultivars
In Zimbabwe, there are a variety of
cultivars available in the nurseries. The
variety you choose will depend on the
particular role you want that plant to play
in your garden.

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Duranta repens is ideal for a small
arching tree. It can be pruned for
height, not thickness.
Duranta repens ‘variegata’, with
green and white variegated leaves,
is useful for lightening areas where
leaf contrast is needed.

Duranta repens ‘alba’, with
clusters of white flowers, is a useful
screening shrub. All the repens
varieties are an ideal choice for
large hedges and high boundary
fences. They are quick growing and
if clipped at an early stage, well
watered, mulched and fed, you will
be well rewarded with a fine hedge.
The green leaf varieties have thorns
and are a security deterrent.

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Duranta repens ‘Aussie 2000’
is a good screening sun shrub.
The leaves are yellow and have a
distinctive dark green band around
the edge, like the Australian colours
of green and gold. This shrub was
bred to honour the Australian
Olympics of 2000 hence its name
‘Aussie 2000’.

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Duranta repens ‘Sheena’s Gold’
needs little introduction. This
medium sized shrub has multiple
uses. It can be grown as a small to
medium sized internal hedge, a low
pathway border or as an edging for
a rose garden. In a formal garden, it
can be shown off to great effect as a
‘lollipop’ specimen in a pot. I enjoy
seeing them growing more naturally
in an area that benefits from their
brightly coloured leaves. The
brightness of the yellow leaves is
determined by how much sunlight
it receives. All Durantas thrive in
full sun though they can tolerate a
modicum of shade.