Geisha Girl Duranta

Geisha Girl Duranta (Duranta erecta 'Geisha Girl', still widely sold as Duranta repens) is the quickest way to put a flowering hedge along a warm climate boundary. It reaches about 2.5m tall and 2m wide, carrying deep purple flowers edged in crisp white through the warm months rather than in one short burst. Planted 1m apart it closes into a colourful screen within two seasons.

Why you'll love it

• Colour for months, not weeks. Purple flowers with a fine white margin come in flushes from spring into autumn wherever the weather stays warm.
• It clips well. Shearing suits it better than most flowering shrubs, hence its use as a formal hedge or a shaped ball.
• Tough once settled. Heat, dry spells and coastal salt air are taken in its stride after the first year.
• Busy with wildlife. Bees and butterflies work the flowers, and small birds take the berries.

Where it works best

Hedging and privacy screening. Plant 1m apart in a single row for a hedge held anywhere between 1.5m and 2.5m. Stretch to 1.2m if you want full height and a looser look.

Topiary and shaped features. Single plants take to balls, cones and standards, so a matched pair at an entry works well. Allow three or four trims a season to keep the outline sharp.

Pots and courtyards. A container 400mm or wider holds it near 1.5m, though potted plants need watering far more often.

Growing Geisha Girl Duranta in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the heaviest flowering; part shade gives leaf and few blooms. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It takes light frost once established, so the tablelands, cold inland districts and hard frosting southern gardens want a hardier hedge.

Soil. Almost anything that drains. Work compost through the backfill on sand, mound the bed on heavy clay, and keep 75mm of mulch over the roots but clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then water only in dry spells. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and again in midsummer keeps growth and flowering moving together.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting to build density low down, then shear lightly after each flush. A hard cut back in late winter renews a leggy plant. In warm humid districts it can self seed, so trimming before the fruit ripens keeps stray seedlings out of the garden.

What to expect when it arrives

Two sizes are grown: tube stock, and 200mm plants in packs of six. Tube stock is young and single stemmed, and it is the sensible choice for a long hedge because it establishes fast and costs a fraction of potted stock. The 200mm plants arrive branched and put you a season ahead.

Plants travel upright and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect two or three quiet weeks after planting, then quick growth in warm weather. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee. One honest note: the berries are toxic if eaten, so this is not the choice where children or pets pick fruit.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to plant a hedge and keep it looking sharp
• Compare the full hedging and screening range
• Screening plants that finish between 2m and 4m
• Plants that suit topiary and shaping

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row. At that spacing the canopies meet within two seasons, and each plant still has the root room it needs to flower properly.

Will it handle frost?

Light frost yes, repeated hard frost no. In cold gardens the top growth is knocked back each winter, so grow it in a pot that can be moved under shelter instead.

Are the berries a risk around pets?

Yes. The berries are toxic if eaten, so we would not plant it where a dog or a young child grazes on fruit. Shearing after each flush removes most fruit before it ripens.