Golden dewdrop comes from the tropical and subtropical Americas, including Florida, where it sprawls and scrambles through warm gardens in the verbena family. The genus honors Castore Durante, a sixteenth-century papal physician and botanist, a lineage that suits a plant of such generous character. In its native range it can reach fifteen feet and develops a weeping, somewhat thorny presence; in cooler climates it behaves as an annual, staying two to four feet tall and flowering from summer through fall without ever looking hurried.

The flowers come in clusters of light blue to purple, occasionally white or pink, and they overlap with the round golden-orange fruits that follow, so the plant often carries both simultaneously. Those fruits attract birds but are toxic to dogs and children, worth knowing before placement. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, and benefits from a trim after flowering to keep its habit tidy. In containers it overwinters indoors with minimal fuss, and dwarf selections like ‘Cuban Gold’ work beautifully as low edging where the full species would overwhelm.