Our local ext. office has a duranta grown as a tree with a 1" dia. trunk. I've tried to grow it this way but the dang thing dies to the ground every winter. Anybody has a secret/tip as to how this is done. I'm about to yank it and replace it w/ althea blue chiffon just b/c I'm tired of starting from scratch every yr, grrrrr
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1320/
Can we talk duranta?
Have you asked them how THEY do it?
Do they have it in a more protected location or are they maybe in a slightly warmer microclimate? Here at my current house (9a) I've always had trouble with Duranta over the winter so I suspect they must either protect it or have it in a sheltered area that doesn't get as cold. My old house was slightly warmer (just barely over the border into 9b) and I had a sheltered spot for it and it didn't die back there so I think they need to be just a little bit warmer.
no, I haven't asked them. but the positioning might be key. It is planted in an area flanked by 2 bricks walls, so there might be enough radiant heat to provide what it needs.
i think I may just get the althea and replace.
Yes, if they've got it in an area with two brick walls chances are it's a warmer microclimate and is just enough to keep it happy over the winter. Based on the fairly minor difference in winter temps between my old house which was just over the border in 9b and this one which is just barely into 9a, I don't think it takes a ton of extra warmth to make them more reliably hardy. But if you don't have a protected area like that, then it's likely to die back in all but the mildest winters.
Hi girlfriend, I had a tremendous duranta, the regular green variety, it was approaching the roof on the second story of the house and this year it just bit the dust. Interestingly, I had another younger duranta in a very open to the elements spot which was fine. The only difference was that the one that handled the cold better was the variegated variety. Last week while visiting in Chattanooga I noticed 2 very full variegated durantas beside a gate on a busy street. There was nothing to protect them and they too looked fine. Maybe it is the color that is key.
Edited to add that the plants I saw in TN were obviously well established, they had been pruned many times over.
This message was edited Apr 16, 2010 7:04 AM
Lucky you, they are such a great color to have in the garden.
Mine is now up about 3" - killed it clear to the ground!
I dig a root ball every year and put it in a large planter and put it in the garage. I give it about a 2 cups of water every 2 - 3 weeks to keep it alive. It loses all it's leaves, and every spring I dead wood it and It comes back with ease. It will never be a tree, only a bushel basket sized bush, but at least I don't start over every year.
I lost my duranta too. It was about 6' and beautiful. I bought a new little baby and found that I had both a purple and a white one in the same pot so I have 2 plants for the price of one now. I am going to keep them potted just in case we have another winter like the one we just had.
Dorothy
I'm glad I saw this thread. I've been toying with putting mine in the ground, I was going to side trim it. But we get just enough hard freezes here that I'd be in the same boat as vossner. Starting over again. As it was I left the pot out last winter and it froze back and is now just about a foot tall, blooming already tho, so at least that's a plus.
This message was edited Jun 3, 2010 6:31 AM
My all green one, that had died to the ground, has come back from the roots and is fuller than ever. The yellow/green variegated one took the cold in stride this past winter although, for me, it is a much slower grower.
mine seemed to like being inside under light this past winter, now it is outside, and it was doing better inside , go figure. Our botanica garden has huge tropical trees and shrubs, huge! but I found out they roll the big containers they are in on wheels to the inside every fall.