Golden dewdrop, Pigeon berry, Skyflower, Forget-me-not-tree
Duranta erecta

Family: Verbenaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It is spreading or trailing. It can be evergreen or lose its leaves during the year. It grows 3-6 m tall. It can be spiny or not. The bark is dark brown. The leaves are 2.5-10 cm long by 1-5 cm wide. The flowers are white or purple. The fruit are 6-11 mm across. The fruit are produced in large numbers and are orange. They are poisonous.

In Slovenia it is possibly in a hot house.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. In Argentina it grows below 500 m above sea level. It grows in termite mounds between 50-2,000 m above sea level in Africa.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Botswana, Central Africa, Central America, Congo DR, Cuba (country/location of origin), Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ethiopia, Haiti (country/location of origin), India, Jamaica, Lesser Antilles (country/location of origin), Malawi, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, North America, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Southern Africa, South America (country/location of origin), St Helena, Tuvalu, West Africa, West Indies (country/location of origin), Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Caution: The fruit, if eaten obviously need processing. The flowers are eaten.

The flowers are eaten by children.

Edible parts

Fruit, caution, flowers

How it is grown

It can be grown by seed or cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Adonis, Bois jambette, Espino chivo, Muatish, Nilkada, Purui-grande

Synonyms

Duranta parviflora Turcz.; Duranta plumieri Jacq.; Duranta repens L. Many