Geisha Girl Plant – Duranta Repens – Care Tips

Where to buy a Geisha Girl Plant in Australia?

Geisha Girl Plant – Duranta Repens Introduction

The Geisha Girl plant is popular plant for its beautiful purple flowers and weeping habit, a little reminiscent of a Wisteria. The Geisha Girl plant is a fresh variation of the Duranta erecta / Duranta repens that belongs to the Verbena family. It is a tough plant with a vertical growth habit but its vibrant blossoms is what makes it so appealing. In various warmer places in the World, such as Queensland and Northern NSW it has become an environmental weed, however, newer cultivars, such as the ‘Geisha Girl,’ are considered less invasive. This potential issue can be avoided by deadheading the plant after flowering or growing it inside a container. In Tropical and sub-tropical locations we’d recommend choosing an alternative plant with less invasive characteristics to protect your local indigenous flora.

This beautiful plant will provide colour to a garden with its deep blue to purple flowers with white edging. Its foliage is a rich green color with a weeping habit, while the stems may have auxiliary spines or thorns. Continue reading to find out how to take care of your Geisha Girl in the best and easy way possible!

Geisha Girl Plant – Duranta Repens Care Tips Introduction

his type of Duranta erecta is an easy-to-grow plant that will be a great addition to your garden to use as a hedge plant, windbreak screen or to cultivate as a decorative flower in a container. Because of its colourful and attractive blossoms, this shrubby plant attracts bees, butterflies, and birds and will certainly become a beautiful part of your home garden. A sunny place would be ideal for the growth of the leaves as well as the blossoms. Although considered drought tolerant, your Geisha girl plant will benefit from additional water during dry months and it will grow best in humus-rich, well-drained soil.

Geisha Girl Plant – Duranta Repens Lighting & Position

Your Geisha Girl plant prefers full sun for optimal foliage colour and flower development, but it may also handle partial shade. Interestingly, Duranta plants are native to South America, the Caribbean, and Mexico and have evolved to withstand both hot and cold temperatures. However, they are frost sensitive and should be maintained frost-free during the colder Autumn and Winter months. Also, carefully consider its placement as in more tropical areas it can be quite invasive, especially amongst valleys and along river beds where it will thrive in moist settings. Take care not to forget about its thorns to avoid surprises!

Geisha Girl Plant – Duranta Repens Watering

Once established, Duranta erecta plants require just minimal watering. Before that, we recommend that you water them once every two to three days. They can tolerate drought once established due to their overall hardiness. Unless there is an extended dry perioud, you do not need to water the plant 6-12 months after planting.

Geisha Girl Plant – Duranta Repens Humidity

The Geisha Girl plants typically thrive in subtropical and tropical environments. They definitely enjoy the heat, but if you’re growing it in a container, bring it inside when the temperature drops below 4 degrees Celsius. They thrive in both dry and humid environments and can also withstand the salty air of beach regions.

Geisha Girl Plant – Duranta Repens Soil & Fertiliser

Duranta plants are not heavy feeders and can grow perfectly in rich soil without any additional fertiliser. However, your plant will not complain if during the growing season you use an all-purpose general fertiliser once a month, especially if it grows in lean or rocky soils. With this in mind, it thrives best in loamy or sandy soils with a pH of 5.6 to 7.5.

We recommend using our Plant Food available here. 

Geisha Girl Plant – Duranta Repens Extra Tips

Because of the sprawling growth of the plant , constant trimming is essential to maintain its compact and bushy form. You can start training your flower as a stemmed shrub early in its development and simply prune to one central leader until it reaches the desired height. Bear in mind that if you train your Geisha Girl plant in this way you may need to stake it.

Geisha Girl Plant – Duranta Repens Vulnerability to Pests & Diseases

Duranta repens are rarely troubled by pests or diseases, but unfortunately, they can sometimes be infected with whiteflies. The little white insects are easily identified. If that happens, your plant will weaken and form a sticky film on the leaves. You can treat it by spraying it with a basic mixture of dish soap and water. Horticulture soaps and neem oil will also help. For more information on how to manage common plant pests head to our blog here! 

Geisha Girl Plant – Duranta Repens Toxicity

Unfortunately, there are several academic sources that confirm that this plant’s leaves, and particularly the berries, are toxic and can be poisonous to both humans and animals. Symptoms of Duranta poisoning include upset stomach, sleepiness, nausea, fever, vomiting, and perhaps convulsions. However, many birds enjoy their berries with no ill effects, but this can play a role in dispersing the seeds and increasing the risk of it becoming invasive in the surrounding areas making it difficult to control. Which is why we suggest looking for non-invasive alternatives in sub-tropical and tropical locations.

How to Propagate your Geisha Girl Plant

You can easily propagate your Geisha Girl plant by hardwood cuttings following these steps:

1. Collect stem cuttings of at least 125mm-200mm during the Summer.

2. Place the cuttings in a rooting compound.

3. Plant the cuttings in a container filled with moist, potting mix and wait for the roots to establish. You can also apply a rooting solution to the tip of the cutting in order to accelerate the rooting process.

4. When your new plant is actively growing, plant it in the desired location in your garden or in a large pot.

Another way to grow a new plant is to use its seeds. The Geisha Girl plant usually blooms from Spring to Autumn and produces orange-colored berries that hold the seeds which you can use for this purpose. But bear in mind that it may not grow the same as its parent if you use this method due to the hybrid nature of the plant.

Geisha Girl Plant – Duranta Repens Design Tips

The Geisha Girl plant is most famous for its stunning purple flowers and weeping habit. It’s best to show off these attributes. Training it up an arched structure over a park bench is where the Geisha Girl Plant is at its best. It also makes a very attractive standard./p>

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