Yellow Bells Tecoma stans

The yellow trumpetbush is a broadleaf, evergreen, perennial shrub or small tree that has clusters of bright yellow trumpet-shaped flowers. It is native to the American tropics, including Florida and the Caribbean. The genus name, Tecoma, is derived from the Nahuatl name "tecomaxochitl," meaning “tubular flower.” The specific epithet means “erect, upright.”

The yellow trumpetbush blooms best in full sun. It will perform well in organic-rich and moist, well-drained soils. The shrub benefits from being allowed to dry out between waterings. The blooms may be prolonged by deadheading the spent flowers. Pruning is necessary after flowering to control the size and shape of the shrub. The plant may be propagated by seeds or soft cuttings. It is best to collect the seeds in late summer or fall when the fruit pods are no longer green. Seedlings may be easily transplanted, and they will typically bloom within 2 years. The yellow trumpetbush is heat and drought-tolerant and is moderately resistant to deer. It is winter hardy in USDA zones 10b to 11. During harsh winters, the shrub may die back. When this occurs, the shrub should be cut back to the ground. If the roots are undamaged by the cold, the plant will regrow in spring.

Yellow trumpet bush is typically 3 to 6 feet tall but can grow up to 10 to 25 feet tall and 10 to 20 feet wide in frost-free, optimum conditions. The leaves are odd pinnately compound with 5-13 leaflets. The flowers are bright yellow trumpet-shaped and emerge in clusters or racemes. They are very showy and mildly fragrant. The showy flowers bloom from spring until frost. In warmer climates, they may bloom all year long. The fruits are long thin green to grayish-brown capsules which are very conspicuous in the fall as they dangle from the shrub. The nectar of the flowers attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Small mammals feed on the seeds, and other mammals browse on the leaves. It is the larval host for the plebeian sphinx moth (Paratrea plebeja).

Yellow trumpetbush is frequently planted as a specimen or accent plant due to its prolonged blooming and brilliant floral display. It is also used in the landscape mixed in with other border shrubs, patios or containers. 

Quick ID Hints:

• Opposite, odd pinnately compound leaves with 5-13 leaflets
• Leaflets are medium to olive green, elliptic to lanceolate with serrated margins
• Showy bright yellow trumpet-shaped flowers with pale red veins inside the tube
• Green to grayish-brown elongated fruit capsules

Insects, Diseases, and Other Problems: The yellow trumpetbush has no serious disease or insect problems. Scale and chewing insects may be spotted. Spider mites and whiteflies may occur in plants that are maintained indoors.