Yellow Elder (Tecoma stans) - Question

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SCBegoniaGuy Columbia, SC(Zone 8a) Sep 27, 2011

I've grown a potted Yellow Elder from a seedling...bringing it indoors for either 2 or 3 winters now...forming it into a tree shape by cutting it back over-and-over. It's gotten huge this year. I've heard this might live in my zone (7b/8a) outdoors, only dying back to the ground over winter. Can anyone confirm or clarify? It blooms like crazy, and is quite fragrant. I'd like to keep it...but it's outgrowing my resolve.

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Sep 27, 2011

It's typically listed to zone 8a, so in 7b it may make it through most winters but it'll be a bit more borderline and a tough winter might kill it (or even if it comes back from the roots, if it's got to start growing from scratch every year it may not bloom as much).

If you want to give it a try, I'd probably overwinter it indoors again this winter and then plant it in the spring--that way it has time to get well established before it has to try and survive winter. If you've got a somewhat protected area of your yard that will give it the best chance. You might also try starting some cuttings so that if you lose the original plant you've still got something (although it's also not a hard plant to find for sale, so if you don't feel like taking cuttings you shouldn't have trouble finding a replacement if something were to happen to it)

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Resin Northumberland, United Kingdom(Zone 9a) Sep 28, 2011

Are you asking about Yellow Elder Sambucus nigra 'Aurea', or Yellow Trumpetbush Tecoma stans, or both? The two have very different cultural requirements.

Yellow Elder is an outdoor plant, it won't do well in hot indoor conditions in winter. Just plant it out from its pot straight into the ground.

Resin

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SCBegoniaGuy Columbia, SC(Zone 8a) Sep 28, 2011

Thanks, ecrane. I think you're right about waiting until spring to give it time to establish roots, either way. Having never tried cuttings, that's a great idea. I've actually found that practice works best for brugmansia here, too. They seem to strive from new cuttings, where herbaceous ones that come back from the roots barely reach blooming size before first frost.

Resin, I'm referring to Tecoma stans.

Mine is about 12-15 feet tall, even in the pot. But once I cut it back to a single 'trunk,' I can find a place to overwinter it in the basement...at least for one more year.

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