Gold Mound, Delivered and Planted in Southwest Florida
Gold Mound is a compact duranta with chartreuse-gold leaves that hold their color in Southwest Florida sun, and it is best as a low border, a color accent or a container plant. It stays 2 to 4 ft tall and likes drainage. UF/IFAS rates the species a high invasion risk, and the berries are poisonous, so plant it with care.
- Light:
- Full sun to part shade; best gold color in sun
- Water:
- Low to moderate; drought tolerant once established, but it needs drainage
- Salt:
- Low; keep it out of salt spray and salty soil
Gold Mound sizes we deliver and plant
Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.
| Plant | Sizes |
|---|---|
| Gold Mound | 3 Gallon, 7 Gallon |
Gold Mound in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 2 to 4 ft tall and wide; a bit taller in warm, protected spots
- Light
- Full sun to part shade; best gold color in sun
- Water
- Low to moderate; drought tolerant once established, but it needs drainage
- Salt tolerance
- Low; keep it out of salt spray and salty soil
- Cold tolerance
- Frost burns the foliage and a hard freeze can cut it back; plants usually regrow, and young plants inland need cover on frost nights
- Growth rate
- Moderate to fast
- Spacing
- 2 to 3 ft on center for a border
- Florida native
- No
- Botanical name
- Duranta erecta 'Gold Mound'
Where Gold Mound works in a SW Florida yard
Use Gold Mound for a bright, low edge along a walkway, in front of green foliage, or in a pot by the door. It glows against purple plants like loropetalum and purple queen and against dark green hedges like podocarpus.
Space plants 2 to 3 ft apart for a border and keep them out of salt spray. Because birds spread the berries, plant it in a managed bed away from preserves and water.
- Gold foliage color accent
- Low border and edging
- Container and entry planting
- Foundation bed contrast
How our crew plants it
Fast drainage matters more than anything. Set plants 2 to 3 ft apart in full sun, each root ball level with the soil in a hole twice as wide as the pot, and water in well.
Give new plants extra water for the first few weeks, which Lee and Collier permit, then settle into your assigned days. We deliver, plant and clean up.
Care after planting
- Shear lightly every couple of months to keep it mounded and to remove flower and berry clusters, since fruit is what birds spread.
- Water new plants regularly, then let the soil dry between waterings, because it tolerates drought but hates soggy beds.
- Cut back frost-burned growth in spring once new shoots show.
- Feed lightly in spring and early October, and skip nitrogen and phosphorus from June 1 to September 30.
What to watch for
- UF/IFAS rates golden dewdrop (Duranta erecta) a high invasion risk and does not recommend it, because birds spread the berries, so keep Gold Mound in managed beds, clip off flowers and fruit, and choose a native like firebush near preserves or canals.
- The berries are poisonous if eaten, so keep it away from toddlers and dogs that sample plants.
- Root-knot nematodes are the most serious pest in sandy soil, causing wilting and dieback, so mulch and avoid replanting duranta in the same spot.
Gold Mound questions we hear
How big does Gold Mound duranta get?+
Gold Mound stays compact, usually 2 to 4 ft tall and about as wide, with a rounded shape. It grows moderately fast and can go taller in a warm, protected spot. Shear it every couple of months to keep it dense and mounded.
Is Gold Mound duranta poisonous or invasive?+
Both cautions apply. The golden berries are poisonous if eaten, so keep it away from children and dogs. UF/IFAS also rates golden dewdrop a high invasion risk and does not recommend it, since birds spread the seed. Clip off flowers and fruit and keep it in a managed bed.
Does Gold Mound need full sun in Florida?+
Full sun gives the brightest gold, and part shade turns the leaves a lime green. It handles heat and dry spells once established but dislikes soggy soil and salt spray. Plant it in a well-drained bed, away from the open-water edge of a canal lot.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Gold Mound
Tell us what and how many. Quinten prices it from the nursery's live list and texts you back, usually within the hour during the day.
Only need the plant delivered, no planting? It is on our nursery's list at Palm & Plant Co.
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