Skyflower
Duranta erecta
Despite being highly poisonous to humans and domestic pets, the golden berries are a favorite food source for many bird species, which spread the seeds safely.
- Scientific name
- Duranta erecta
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Lamiales › Verbenaceae › Duranta
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Tropical and subtropical forest edges, scrublands, coastal areas, and disturbed urban spaces.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (uses photosynthesis to produce sugars from sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water).
- Range
- Mexico, Caribbean, South America, Southern United States, Australia, Southeast Asia
- Size
- Sprawling evergreen shrub growing 2 to 6 meters (6 to 20 feet) tall.
- Lifespan
- 15 to 30 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- No major threats; considered an invasive weed in some regions outside its native range due to rapid growth.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to touch, but highly defensive chemically. The beautiful orange berries and foliage are toxic to humans, dogs, and cats. Do not ingest any part of the plant. If accidental ingestion occurs, seek medical or veterinary attention immediately. Keep children and pets at a safe distance.
Duranta erecta is a species of flowering shrub in the verbena family Verbenaceae, native from Mexico to South America and the Caribbean. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant in tropical and subtropical gardens throughout the world, and has become naturalized in many places. It is considered an invasive species in Australia, China, South Africa and on several Pacific Islands. Common names include golden dewdrop , pigeon berry , and skyflower . In Mexico, the native Nahuatl name...
Photo: Juan Cruzado Cortés, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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