Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Purple Sky Flower Staked
Purple Sky Flower Staked is sky flower grown on a stake, ready to train up a trellis, an arbor or a wall like a vine. Its long, arching branches carry sprays of purple flowers from spring into fall, and hummingbirds and butterflies visit all day. It will not climb on its own, so you guide the branches onto the support as they grow. Give it sun with some shelter from the hottest afternoon light.
Best for: trellises and arbors, block walls and fences you want covered in green, and borders along a wall. It is a staked sky flower you train upward, with purple flowers for hummingbirds and butterflies.
It will not climb on its own, but its long branches train well onto a trellis or over an arbor. Put the support in first, then tie the branches on as they grow. The purple flower sprays hang down along the frame.
Train it up wires or a trellis against a block wall, or let the branches spill over the top. Plant about 8 feet apart along the wall so the plants meet as they fill in.
Purple flowers open from spring into fall, and hummingbirds and butterflies visit them all day. A border along a wall near the patio lets you watch them.
A hot west wall with reflected heat is hard on it, so pick a wall with some afternoon shade. Frost burns it back in a cold winter. The berries and leaves are poisonous, so keep it away from play areas.
- Along a wall or fence8 ft apart
- Arbor posts or single trellis panels10-12 ft apart
It will not climb on its own. Set a trellis, arbor or wires in place, then tie the branches on as they grow and guide them where you want cover.
Water a young plant every few days while it roots, then stretch the time between soaks. Once established, a deep soak about once a week in summer and about once a month in the coldest months is enough.
Do heavier pruning in early spring or in fall after the summer heat. Trim the ends of flowering branches to keep it tidy on the support. Every 2 to 3 years it can be cut back hard.
Frost burns the tips in a cold winter, and it regrows quickly once you trim the damage in spring. The berries and leaves are poisonous if eaten, so pick up fallen berries.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Can you grow sky flower on a trellis?
Yes. It can be trained on a support like a vine, up a trellis, over an arbor or against a wall. It will not climb on its own, so tie the branches on as they grow.
What is the difference between the staked and the regular Purple Sky Flower?
They are the same plant. The staked form starts on a stake, which makes it easier to train up a trellis or wall. The regular form is grown as a free-standing shrub or screen.
Can it cover a block wall?
Yes. Train it up wires or a trellis set against the wall, or let the branches spill over the top. Plant about 8 feet apart along the wall.
How big does it get?
It usually grows about 8 to 10 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide. Where frost does not knock it back, it can reach 15 feet or more.
Does it need shade in Phoenix?
It grows in full sun to part shade and looks best with shelter from the harshest afternoon sun. Avoid a hot west wall with reflected heat.
How often should I water it?
Water a young plant more often while it roots. Once established, give it a deep soak about once a week in summer and about once a month in the coldest months.
Are the berries poisonous?
Yes. The golden berries and the leaves are poisonous to people and pets if eaten. Plant it away from where children and pets play, and pick up fallen berries.
Is it frost hardy?
Frost burns it back in a cold winter, with damage starting around 25 to 28°F. It recovers quickly in spring, so trim off the damage once frost danger passes.
How do I prune it on a trellis?
Do heavier pruning in early spring or in fall, and trim the ends of flowering branches during the season. Tie in new branches where you want cover and cut back the ones that stray.
Does it attract hummingbirds?
Yes. Hummingbirds and butterflies visit the purple flowers all day while it blooms, and birds eat the golden berries.
Purple Sky Flower Staked for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Purple Sky Flower Staked is duranta, or skyflower, started on a stake so you can train it up a support like a vine. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard: training it on a trellis or wall, sun, water, spacing, frost, pruning and the berries.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
How do you train sky flower on a trellis?
Set the trellis, arbor or wires in place first, then tie the branches on as they grow. It will not climb on its own, but its long arching branches take to training.
Can sky flower cover a block wall in Phoenix?
Yes. Train it up wires or a trellis set against the wall, or let it spill over the top. Pick a wall with some afternoon shade rather than a hot west wall.
How far apart do you plant staked sky flower?
Plant about 8 feet apart along a wall or fence, or 10 to 12 feet apart for arbor posts or single trellis panels. The Spacing tab counts plants for you.
How often do you water sky flower in the Valley?
Once established, give it a deep soak about once a week in summer and about once a month in the coldest months. Water young plants more often while they root.
Are sky flower berries poisonous?
Yes. The golden berries and leaves are poisonous to people and pets if eaten. Keep it away from play areas and pick up fallen berries.
Is sky flower frost hardy in Phoenix?
Frost burns it back in a cold winter, starting around 25 to 28°F. It recovers quickly in spring after you trim the damage.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.