Tala Blanco
Duranta serratifolia
Pickup available at Aiken Nursery
Usually ready in 2-4 days
Duranta serratifolia, the tala blanco of northern Argentina, is a South American cousin of the familiar golden dewdrop and belongs, like all Duranta, to the verbena family. The species epithet serratifolia means saw-toothed leaf, for the finely serrated margins that separate this plant from the smoother-leaved dewdrops. In the wild the shrub grows through the dry forests and thorn scrub of the Argentine northwest, where the common name, roughly white tala, sets the plant among the talas, the spiny native trees and shrubs that give those woodlands their character.
This is a shrub of loose, informal build, often throwing scandent, half-climbing stems armed with light spines, and given room and years the plant can rise to the size of a small tree, eight or ten feet high. Clusters of small, tubular flowers open in a cool violet-blue from spring through fall, a long season of soft color carried against fresh green foliage. Where golden dewdrop hangs chains of amber fruit, tala blanco ripens pale, whitish berries instead, a quieter finish. The overall effect is airy rather than dense, well suited to informal borders, naturalized plantings, and mixed shrub groupings where the arching, spiny stems can lean into their neighbors.
Unusually for the genus, tala blanco is frankly deciduous, and the leaves take on a purple cast in autumn before they fall, a seasonal turn the evergreen dewdrops never offer. The shrub wants open sun and sharp drainage, the dry-footed conditions of the plant's native thorn forest, and rewards a warm, bright site with the fullest flowering. Hardy in roughly USDA zones 8 to 10, tala blanco handles heat and drought once established and asks only for space and light.
Woodlanders grew this stock from material collected in Salta Province, in the Andean foothills of northwestern Argentina, so the plant offered here carries genuine wild provenance rather than nursery-blurred ancestry. For a gardener after something off the beaten path, a hardy, blue-flowered Duranta with autumn color and a real collection history, tala blanco is a quietly uncommon find.
Photo credit to Trap Hers.
- Hardiness
- USDA Zones 8–10
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Soil
- Well-drained
- Mature size
- Height 6–10 Feet · Spread 6–10 Feet
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Seasonality
- Deciduous
Clusters of small, tubular violet-blue flowers from spring to fall, followed by pale whitish berries
From rooting to shipping, our top priority is ensuring you receive healthy, thriving plants for your garden’s success.
Because most of our plants are grown from rooted cuttings — alongside seed, air layering, and grafting chosen for each variety — you receive a stronger, true-to-type plant that establishes quickly in your garden.
Raised on organic soil blends and eco-friendly pest management — never harsh chemicals — your plant arrives healthy for your garden, your family, and the pollinators they feed.
Every purchase gives back. We donate to the Aiken Arboretum and support local wildlife conservation, so growing your garden helps protect the wider ecosystem too.
All our plant material is carefully propagated, grown, and nurtured at our humble nursery in Aiken, South Carolina.
Your plant arrives carefully packed and ready to settle in. Unpack them promptly, give them a day or two to acclimate, then plant following the notes we include — that’s all it takes. Clear care guidance comes with every order, so success is the easy part.
What to expect upon delivery
All our plants are sold in 1-gallon sizes, though the height of each plant can vary depending on its growth rate and seasonality, typically ranging from 1/2 to 2.5 feet.
Each plant is carefully packaged with its roots enclosed in a secure plastic bag containing moist soil, forming a compact root ball. To ensure safe transport, the box is padded with recycled newspaper, providing both stability and eco-friendly protection from weather during shipping.
What is your return policy?
Review our full return policy information on our SHIPPING AND RETURNS POLICY page.
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Can I make changes to my order after it’s been placed?
At Woodlanders, we strive to fulfill orders as quickly as possible. Therefore, we can only accommodate changes to your order within the first 24 hours after it has been placed. These changes include adding or removing products and modifying the delivery address. If you need to make any changes or if there has been a mistake with your order information, please reach out to us promptly via our CONTACT page with your order number for the quickest resolution.
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