Sapphire Showers Duranta - Live Plant in a 10 Inch Pot - Duranta Erecta "Sapphire Showers" - Beautiful Flowering Butterfly Attracting Patio Plant

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. 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.