How to Grow Gold Fountain
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Gold Fountain
Duranta erecta 'Gold Mound'
shrubGold Fountain is a tropical shrub prized for its bright golden-yellow foliage that creates a fountain-like mounding habit. It produces small delicate purple or blue flowers followed by golden berries, adding multiple seasons of color and visual interest to gardens and containers.
When should you plant Gold Fountain in your zone?
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Example Gold Fountain timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
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Plant Gold Fountain
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
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Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
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Harvest Gold Fountain
Late summer into fallBefore the first fall frost (≈ Nov 8)
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Gold Fountain dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Thrives in zones 9b-11; can be grown in containers and brought indoors in cooler zones
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Get my Gold Fountain timeline →Growth Stages
Establishment
4-8 weeksYoung plant developing root system and compact golden foliage mound
Water regularly, provide bright light, avoid fertilizing first month. Keep soil consistently moist without waterlogging
Vegetative Growth
3-6 monthsPlant fills out with dense golden-yellow leaves creating fountain-like mounding structure
Begin light pruning to encourage bushiness. Apply balanced fertilizer monthly during growing season. Remove any green reversions immediately
Flowering
3-4 months (often spring through fall in warm climates)Delicate small purple, blue, or occasionally white flowers appear along branch tips
Continue regular watering and fertilizing. Flowers attract pollinators. Maintain shape through selective pruning
Fruiting
2-3 months following floweringSmall golden-yellow berries develop where flowers were, providing additional ornamental value
Reduce nitrogen fertilizer to encourage fruit production. Berries are mildly toxic but attractive to birds. Keep plant well-watered
Dormancy/Rest
2-4 months depending on climateGrowth slows in winter months; plant maintains golden foliage but may drop some leaves in cool conditions
Reduce watering significantly. Protect from frost below 50°F. Move containers to sheltered location or indoors in cold climates
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
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Increase humidity, spray with water, use neem oil or insecticidal soap if severe
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Yellow sticky traps, spray undersides of leaves with neem oil or horticultural insecticide
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Prune affected branches, apply horticultural oil or insecticidal soap monthly
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Isolate plant, spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap, remove with cotton swab dipped in alcohol
Uses
Ornamental Landscape Specimen
HouseholdGold Fountain is primarily grown as an ornamental accent shrub for year-round golden foliage and seasonal flowers and berries. Its mounding fountain-like habit makes it ideal for focal points, borders, and container gardening in warm climates. [source]
Container and Patio Gardening
HouseholdIts compact mounding form and bright coloring make it perfect for large containers on patios, decks, and entryways. In cooler zones, it can be grown in containers and brought indoors during winter. [source]
Pollinator and Bird Support
WildlifeThe delicate flowers attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators, while the golden berries provide food for birds during fall and winter months. It serves as a valuable addition to wildlife gardens. [source]
Tropical Garden Design
HouseholdGold Fountain is a key plant in tropical and subtropical garden designs, providing dramatic color contrast with green plants and creating a lush, exotic aesthetic. [source]
Harvest Tips
Not typically harvested for food. Prune lightly in spring to maintain fountain shape and encourage bushiness. Remove any branches reverting to green foliage immediately. Berries can be enjoyed ornamentally; they are attractive to birds but mildly toxic to humans
Fun Facts
- 🌱 Gold Fountain is a cultivar of Duranta erecta, a tropical shrub native to Mexico and Central America, bred specifically for its vibrant golden foliage that becomes even more intense with increased sunlight
- 🌱 The plant is also known as 'Golden Duranta' or 'Golden Dewdrop' and is sometimes called a 'living fountain' due to its naturally cascading, mounding growth habit
- 🌱 While the berries are mildly toxic to humans, birds love them and help spread the plant in tropical regions; the flowers bloom prolifically in warm climates and can flower nearly year-round in frost-free areas
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