Flower of the Day – Duranta

So here I am, taking photos of some of the flowers in my garden.  I admit that’s nothing new and, in fact, I actually did that a couple of days ago and now I’m sitting here making my selection to post for the Flower of the Day (FOTD) photo challenge hosted by Cee’s Photography.

And I’ve done just that.  I even selected a flower that is my favourite colour.

– ⋅ o ♥ o ⋅ –

As is my custom, I allowed my fingers to do the walking to discover more information about this plant and I must admit that what I found was quite confusing.

While one website stated that this plant is:

A tropical powerhouse, the golden dewdrop plant (more commonly known as Duranta) is a fast-growing tropical shrub with beautiful blooms and fantastic foliage.  With the potential to become quite large where they are hardy (some varieties reaching over 15 feet!), these plants make great, quick-growing, warm-season annuals, and can even act as houseplants. Grown primarily for its bountiful blue blooms, many varieties of Duranta also have highly ornamental golden foliage. 

The next one says: 

Duranta is registered as an invasive weed by many councils of Australia. It is a prolific, fast-growing weed that is spread by birds from domestic areas to natural reserves. It was introduced and marketed as a hedge plant some years ago. Many people now fight to keep this thorny pest under control. It is highly ranked in the most invasive weeds in Australia.

And then finally, on the Queensland Government’s website, the following can be found:

Duranta is not a prohibited or restricted invasive plant under the Biosecurity Act 2014. However, by law, everyone has a general biosecurity obligation (GBO) to take reasonable and practical steps to minimise the risks associated with invasive plants and animals under their control. 

So it would seem that I have an invasive ‘weed’ on my hands and I’m responsible for ensuring it doesn’t add to an existing environmental problem in the area in which I live.

I can do that 🙂

Further investigation reveals I have several plants listed as ‘weeds’ – Yukka’s, several types of asparagus ferns and mock orange.

There are a few more plants on the list that I have had in the past but (now) will not have moving into the future.

All of this leads me to ask:

Why are nurseries allowed to (firstly) stock and (secondly) sell plants that are not so kind to our native environment and why are these (not so kind to the environment) plants sold without warning labels?

My next entry for Cee’s FOTD will be something not listed as an invasive plant.