Plant sells like hot cakes after CHOGM
Leaves of gold mound duranta breathe colour in gardens. They soften the hard surfaces of fences when used as a hedge and contrast appearances of would be dark foliage plants in many of today’s recreational places. <br>
By Harriet Birungi
Leaves of gold mound duranta breathe colour in gardens. They soften the hard surfaces of fences when used as a hedge and contrast appearances of would be dark foliage plants in many of today’s recreational places.
They became so popular during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2007, that if you went to nursery beds today, the easier name is ‘chogm plants.’ The plants add colour to any garden whether small or big, yet they are also easy to grow. Today, they can be seen in many homes as beauty enhancers.
Best climate: They are sun-lovers, so they do well in warm climate when watered enough. This means they grow best in well-lit areas, a reason they can grow in any part of Uganda.
Where to grow: Well-drained, fertile soils. The plant hates stony soils and too much shade.
Growing tips: Duranta loves fertile black soils, so it will grow better if you added manure to the prepared soils before planting. Make sure watering is either in the morning or late evening after planting the seedlings. Bring watering to a minimum when fully established and weed often to eliminate competition for nutrients.
Prune lightly to keep the plants compact and healthy or cut back to maintain a certain height. They can enhance beauty when trimmed into certain shapes. Cut them round and they will appear like yellow balls; cut them straight and they will give off a neat look and leave them to grow high and they will provide a perfect hide-away or demarcation.
common Uses: lining pathways and lawns and softening hard wall surfaces when grown outside perimeter walls. They are also used to form words or names when grown following certain patterns and as garden enhancers when inter-cropped with other plants.
Can they grow in pots? At a young stage as seedlings and if they are to be used as interior décor, they can be grown as bonsai. But they are better off growing in open gardens as landscape beauty enhancers.
Cost: A seedling costs between sh300 and sh500 depending on how many you are buying. Best measure is to buy a few and get new seedlings by hard stem cutting.
Duranta is an in vogue plant that has graced many gardens. It has small yellow leaves when growing in well-lit areas and brightens up the garden. Its origin is South America. Left to grow, they can get to the height of 5 feet before they can bear seeds.
Leaves of gold mound duranta breathe colour in gardens. They soften the hard surfaces of fences when used as a hedge and contrast appearances of would be dark foliage plants in many of today’s recreational places.
They became so popular during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2007, that if you went to nursery beds today, the easier name is ‘chogm plants.’ The plants add colour to any garden whether small or big, yet they are also easy to grow. Today, they can be seen in many homes as beauty enhancers.
Best climate: They are sun-lovers, so they do well in warm climate when watered enough. This means they grow best in well-lit areas, a reason they can grow in any part of Uganda.
Where to grow: Well-drained, fertile soils. The plant hates stony soils and too much shade.
Growing tips: Duranta loves fertile black soils, so it will grow better if you added manure to the prepared soils before planting. Make sure watering is either in the morning or late evening after planting the seedlings. Bring watering to a minimum when fully established and weed often to eliminate competition for nutrients.
Prune lightly to keep the plants compact and healthy or cut back to maintain a certain height. They can enhance beauty when trimmed into certain shapes. Cut them round and they will appear like yellow balls; cut them straight and they will give off a neat look and leave them to grow high and they will provide a perfect hide-away or demarcation.
common Uses: lining pathways and lawns and softening hard wall surfaces when grown outside perimeter walls. They are also used to form words or names when grown following certain patterns and as garden enhancers when inter-cropped with other plants.
Can they grow in pots? At a young stage as seedlings and if they are to be used as interior décor, they can be grown as bonsai. But they are better off growing in open gardens as landscape beauty enhancers.
Cost: A seedling costs between sh300 and sh500 depending on how many you are buying. Best measure is to buy a few and get new seedlings by hard stem cutting.
Duranta is an in vogue plant that has graced many gardens. It has small yellow leaves when growing in well-lit areas and brightens up the garden. Its origin is South America. Left to grow, they can get to the height of 5 feet before they can bear seeds.