-
- Articles
Index : Landscape Plants
-
-
- 6. Tecomas Add Tropical Flare to Desert Landscapes - Top
- Although we live in a desert, gardeners love to grow colorful tropical flowering plants! Even if Bougainvillea, Plumbago, Lantana, Red Bird-of-Paradise, and Oleander freeze back in the winter, all have spectacular blooms, grow back rapidly in the spring and flower continually until cold weather returns. Add to this list the showy flowering Tecoma shrubs in their many variations including; Arizona Yellow Bells, Gold Star Bells and Orange Bells.
As a group all Tecoma shrubs have bright green compound leaves and clusters of very showy trumpet-shaped clusters of orange or yellow flowers on the stem ends. Leaves are similar in appearance to elderberry and in parts of the country Yellow Bells are called Yellow Elder.
Most Tecomas are native to tropical regions of Central and South America. However, the Arizona Yellow Bells (Tecoma stans angustata) is actually native from Arizona to Texas and adjoining Mexico. When grown in Arizona, all varieties grow as large shrubs from 5 to 10 feet tall. But in climates without freezing temperatures Tecomas can grow to tree-size, twenty five feet or more in height!
Tecoma shrubs grow in loose fashion with open, wide-spaced, upright stems. They’re great choices from shrubs borders, corner foundation plantings, and patio containers when a tropical look is desired. Some of the best Tecoma selections for Tucson include:
Arizona Yellow Bells (Tecoma stans angustata) is our native Tecoma species. It can be found growing wild on rocky slopes among boulders and in washes where it receives protection from cold and adequate moisture. The showy yellow bloom clusters are fragrant and attractive to hummingbirds. New clusters continue to form and blossom on stem ends of new growth threw the warm season. In the winter, plants will freeze back slightly or back to the ground depending on the location. But even those that freeze back severely will recover rapidly in the spring, reaching a height and spread of 8 feet or more.
‘Gold Star’ Yellow Bells (‘Gold Star’ Yellow Bells) is a special selection of Arizona Yellow Bells found growing in a private garden in San Antonio. It’s smaller and more compact than the species with even more abundant blooms. If your looking for a showy potted plant for your sunny patio, Gold Star is an ideal choice. It’s also tolerant of heat and reflected sunlight!
‘Orange Jubilee’ Bells (‘Orange Jubilee’ Bells) is very popular orange flowering version of Arizona Bells. Leaves are dark green, lush and have a light, feathery appearance. It’s trumpet-shaped flower clusters are orange to reddish- orange, fragrant and abundant from May to November. Plants are damaged with temperatures in the low to mid 20's but recover rapidly in the spring.
Cape Honeysuckle (Tecoma capensis), formerly known as Tecomaria capensis, is a sprawling shrub with vine-like tendencies. It’s best grown against a wall or trellis for support. Small orange trumpet-shaped flowers are set off above attractive dense, dark-green glossy foliage. Although evergreen, the outer leaves will blacken with below freezing temperatures.
Tecoma shrubs require full sun for optimum flowering. Although drought tolerant, plants look and flower their best when provided with weekly watering when temperatures exceed 90 degrees F. When grown in containers, Tecomas such as Gold Star need daily watering in summer’s heat. All the above mentioned Tecomas will freeze back in winter. In cold spots or during unusually cold winters they will likely freeze to near the ground. Regardless, cut off freeze damaged stems in March after all danger of frost has past. For maximum flowering, do not prune to shape during the flowering season. Pruning will remove the shoot tips where new flower buds develop.
Written by John Begeman, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the University of Arizona,
520-626-5161.
- Updated: June 17, 2007
-
-
[e-Mail me
the Articles] - [Search
the Articles]
-
|
