| Tecomaria capensis | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Bignoniaceae |
| Genus: | Tecomaria |
| Species: | T. capensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Tecomaria capensis | |
| Synonyms [3] | |
| |
Tecomaria capensis, the Cape honeysuckle, [4] [5] [6] is a species of flowering plant in the family Bignoniaceae, native to southern Africa. [7] Despite its common name, it is not closely related to the true honeysuckle.
An erect, scrambling shrub, it grows to 2–3 m (7–10 ft) in height and a similar width. Normally evergreen, it may lose its leaves in colder climates. In certain habitats it may scramble, meaning that it shoots out long growth tips which lean on the stems and branches of other plants, as well as boulders, trellises, fences and walls; this can lead to the plant appearing untidy. The leaves are up to 15 cm (6 in) long. They are opposite, slightly serrated, green to dark-green, and pinnate with 5 to 9 oblong leaflets.
The flowers are tubular, narrow, about 7.5 cm (3 in) long, and are produced erratically at different times throughout the year, though they typically bloom from autumn to spring. [8] They are grouped in 10–15 cm (4–6 in) long terminal clusters. The flower colour ranges from orange to orange-red to apricot.
The species occurs naturally in parts of southern and central Africa, including South Africa, Eswatini, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Angola. [3]
It is cultivated in other areas of the world, such as in South-east Asia, Hawaii, Florida, and California. It can be considered invasive in remote islands such as the Azores (as seen at the island of São Miguel, near Ponta Garça).
Tecomaria capensis has been in cultivation for many years and is often used for hedging, as it is a scrambling shrub. It can be propagated from cuttings or by removing rooted suckers during the active growth phase.
It can be planted in semi-shade to full sun. Tolerating temperatures down to 5 °C (41 °F), it can be grown in mild temperate areas with the protection of a warm wall. [9] Otherwise it can be grown in a container and taken indoors through the winter months. To keep this shrub clean and tidy, it must be pruned back in late winter to promote new growth and flowers. The application of a balanced fertilizer after pruning will enhance the growth and flowering.
This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. [9] [10]
Tecomaria capensis is an excellent plant to use in a wildlife garden in Southern Africa, since it is popular with sunbirds and certain insects due to its nectar. As a scrambler, it can be quite dense (if pruned) and as such can be utilised as a nesting site by a few bird species.
The larvae of the death's head hawkmoth ( Acherontia atropos ) and the fulvous hawkmoth ( Coelonia mauritii ) eat the leaves of this plant.
Cornus florida, the flowering dogwood, is a species of flowering tree in the family Cornaceae native to eastern North America and northern Mexico. An endemic population once spanned from southernmost coastal Maine south to northern Florida and west to the Mississippi River. The tree is commonly planted as an ornamental in residential and public areas because of its showy bracts and interesting bark structure.
Hibiscus syriacus is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is native to south-central and southeast mainland China and Taiwan, but widely introduced elsewhere, including much of Asia. It was given the epithet syriacus because it had been collected from gardens in Syria. Common names include the rose of Sharon,, Syrian ketmia, shrub althea, and rose mallow. It is the national flower of South Korea and is mentioned in the South Korean national anthem.
Mentha longifolia, also known as horse mint, brookmint, fillymint or St. John's horsemint, is a species of plant in the family Lamiaceae. It is native to Europe excluding Britain and Ireland, western and central Asia, and northern and southern Africa.
Kerria japonica, commonly known as Japanese kerria or Japanese rose, is a deciduous, yellow-flowering shrub in the rose family (Rosaceae), native to China, Japan and Korea. It is the only species in the genus Kerria. In the wild, it grows in thickets on mountain slopes. Japanese kerria has been used for medicine and is also planted in gardens. A double-flowered cultivar, K. japonica 'Pleniflora', is commonly called bachelor's buttons.
Iris chrysographes, the black iris, is a plant species that belongs to the genus Iris. It is native to Southern China and Myanmar (Burma), growing in meadows, streamsides, hillsides and forest margins.
Phygelius capensis, the cape figwort or cape fuchsia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Scrophulariaceae, native to South Africa and Lesotho.
Rhododendron viscosum, the swamp azalea, clammy azalea or swamp honeysuckle, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae. This deciduous shrub, growing to 2.5 m (8.2 ft) tall and broad, is native to the eastern United States. It has rounded matt green leaves. In early summer it produces funnel-shaped white flowers flushed pink. The flowers have prominent stamens and are strongly fragrant.
Tecoma stans is a species of flowering perennial shrub in the trumpet vine family, Bignoniaceae, that is native to the Americas. Common names include yellow trumpetbush, yellow bells, yellow elder, ginger Thomas. Tecoma stans is the official flower of the United States Virgin Islands and the floral emblem of The Bahamas.
Tecomaria is a genus of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae. It includes two species of shrubs or trees native to sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania to South Africa.
Plumbago auriculata, the Cape leadwort, blue plumbago or Cape plumbago, is a species of flowering plant in the family Plumbaginaceae, native to South Africa and Mozambique.
Phygelius, common names Cape fuchsia or Cape figwort, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Scrophulariaceae, native to wet slopes and banks in southern Africa. They are evergreen shrubs often treated as perennials in colder climates. They bear many pendent tubular flowers over a long period in summer, in shades of white, yellow and red. The vague similarity of the blooms to fuchsias has led to the common name Cape fuchsia, though they are not closely related.
Phygelius aequalis is a species of flowering plant in the family Scrophulariaceae, native to South Africa. It is a semi-evergreen shrub growing to 1 m (3 ft) tall and wide, with 25 cm (10 in) long panicles of pink flowers with crimson lobes and yellow throats. This species may be distinguished from the closely related Phygelius capensis by the fact that the flowers grow in a single plane along one side of the stem. The narrowly tubular flowers are up to 6 cm (2 in) in length.
Hydrangea serrata is a species of flowering plant in the family Hydrangeaceae, native to mountainous regions of Korea and Japan. Common names include mountain hydrangea and tea of heaven. Growing to 1.2 m (4 ft) tall and broad, it is a deciduous shrub with oval leaves and panicles of blue and pink flowers in summer and autumn (fall). It is widely cultivated as an attractive ornamental shrub throughout the world in areas with suitable climate and soil.
Clerodendrum trichotomum, the harlequin glorybower, glorytree or peanut butter tree, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae. It is native to China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, India, and the Philippines.
Hypoestes phyllostachya, the polka dot plant, is a species of flowering plant in the family Acanthaceae, native to South Africa, Madagascar, and south east Asia. The spots often merge into larger areas of colour.
Acer palmatum, commonly known as Japanese maple, palmate maple, or smooth Japanese maple (Korean: danpungnamu, 단풍나무, Japanese: irohamomiji, イロハモミジ, or momiji,, is a species of woody plant native to Korea, Japan, China, eastern Mongolia, and southeast Russia. Many different cultivars of this maple have been selected and they are grown worldwide for their large variety of attractive forms, leaf shapes, and spectacular colors.
Buddleja madagascariensis, the smokebush or Madagascan butterfly bush, is a species of flowering plant in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. It is a substantial evergreen shrub with fragrant yellow flowers through autumn and winter.
Agave parviflora is a species of succulent perennial flowering plant in the asparagus family, known by the common names Santa Cruz striped agave, smallflower century plant, and small-flower agave. It is native to Arizona in the United States and Sonora in Mexico.
Veltheimia capensis is one of two species of flowering plants belonging to the genus Veltheimia, of the family Asparagaceae. It is a tender bulbous perennial reaching a height of 46 cm (18 in), with flowers varying in color from white with red spots to pink with green or red markings.
Yucca flaccida, commonly called Adam's needle or weak-leaf yucca, is a species of flowering plant in the asparagus family (Asparagaceae). It is native to south-central and southeastern North America, from the lower Great Plains eastward to the Atlantic seaboard in Virginia, south through Florida and the Gulf states. Its natural habitat is in sandy open woodlands and fields. It is not considered to be threatened by the IUCN.
Media related to Tecoma capensis at Wikimedia Commons
