Hi:
I was given this bush a few years ago by an acquaintance a few years ago. At the time, he told me it was called a Honey Bird Bush. I know that I have seen Hummingbirds, Butterflies, and Bumble Bees working on it. It has grown to about 8-10 feet tall, and has a diameter of approximately 5 feet. The foilage is lacy in appearance. The flowers are about 1 1/2 inches long, and trumpet shaped. See the photos (1 of 2).
Any help would be appreciated.
Thank you!
WIB!
SingingWolf
Second picture of a cluster of blossoms. It does have seed pods.
Thank you!
WIB,
SW
I would guess a Tecoma species. Tecoma stans is the most common one, it's usually yellow but there are some orange flowering cultivars too--here are the ones in Plant Files
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/60979/
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/135927/
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/142490/
There are some other Tecoma species as well--most of them don't have pics in PF but if you don't think this one's a match you could probably do some searching and find pics of the others.
ecrane3:
Thank you! I think you found it. I used the hyperlinks that you so thoughtfully provided, and the information matches. Thank you so much, it really helps me find my way around. It had been driving me nuts. I believe it is Tecoma Stans - Tangerine. I remember (now, duh!), that the fellow who gave it to me said it was a tangerine cultivar. Mine may be a shade or two different in color, probably due to soil differences, but definitely the same plant. I know it was started from seed. Lived in a pot for a couple of years, but overwintered last year in the ground without any special care except mulch at the base of the bush. Lowest temperature last winter here was 28 degrees. A very nice and colorful addition to my garden.
Walk In Beauty!
SingingWolf
I love Tecoma stans, I've tried the yellow version on a few occasions but it always dies over the winter even though it's supposed to be hardy to zone 8. I've had much better luck with Tecoma garrocha which has red flowers. It's much less common and not quite as showy, but still quite pretty and it even survived our super cold winter where we had temps in the high teens/low 20's for several nights.
ecrane:
Can you save me some seed? I'd like to try the Tecoma garrocha . I have some pods still on my bush if you'd like to trade. They are still green, but I'm watching them. I really think that it is a beautiful bush. I like the way it attracts so much wildlife too. I haven't noticed a scent from my Tecoma stans, but in the evenings around here, the scent from the 4 O'Clocks is pretty strong, and may overwhelm the scent from the Tecoma stans.
It's always hard to figure what will survive the winter around here. It doesn't usually freeze much (I've only lived here since 1987, and it seldom is below freezing for more than 3-4 days at a time). I usually run around like crazy on the evenings when a hard frost is forecast, covering up plants in the yard or in containers. Since I got rid of the lawn on my side of the yard, I've been planting bushes and flowers for butterflies and hummingbirds. The Tecoma stans is the happiest of the lot. I figure if it survives a winter in a pot outside, then I can plant it in the ground. Otherwise it stays in the pot and goes in the green house or on the porch. I think they'd make a really pretty hedge too. Some things we have plenty of here, are sunshine, low rainfall, and lots of decomposed granite in the soil. It makes for good drainage.
Thank you again for your help. I will probably still call it a Honey Bird Bush, but it is good to know it is also known as Tecoma stans.
WIB,
SW
I'll see if it's got any seeds left--it blooms earlier in the year and already made seedpods and since I'm lazy I didn't collect them and just let them do their thing. I probably won't be out in my yard during daylight hours until the weekend, but I'll look then and see if the pods are all empty or if there are a few seeds left. If not then remind me next year and I'll save some for you--I want to say it bloomed in late spring/early summer. I've actually got a T. stans right now that I just bought and was planning to keep in the greenhouse for the winter to see if I can have some better luck with it that way!
Here's a pic of T. garrocha if you want to see what it looks like
ecrane when I google this I keep coming up with the orange flowers. I have the orange and it dies back every year. Where did you obtaint he one you have? I would love to be bale to buy a plant of this.
Ok I may havwe found one but do not think I will be buying at 25.00 for a 1 gallon and that does not include shipping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I got mine from Woodlanders http://www.woodlanders.net/index.cfm?fuseaction=plants.plantDetail&plant_id=1769 but I think that's probably the one you saw. I don't remember paying $25 for it though, maybe they had smaller quart size ones a couple years ago when I got mine so you might keep an eye out next year and see if they have smaller onesa. They mention that they got the seed from Tony Avent so you might keep your eye out at Plant Delights too...they don't seem to have it now but maybe they'll get it again.
Here's the pic I found that looks the most like mine of the ones I could find on Google. They say here that it can be red or reddish orange so I suspect there's some color variation in the species, and Woodlanders happens to have one with redder flowers.
http://www.arbolesornamentales.com/Tecomagarrocha.htm
