Tecomaria capensis Spach   Bignoniaceae (Bignonia Family)   South Africa   Cape-Honeysuckle

                               June Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Half-climbing shrub with branches 6 ft. or more long; lvs. petioled, 4-6 in. long; lfts. 5-9, broadly oval to ovate, 0.5-2 in. long, acute or acuminate, serrate, glabrous or woolly underneath in the axils of the veins; fls. in peduncled terminal racemes; corolla orange-red to scarlet, about 2 in. long, with 4-parted spreading limb, the upper lip emarginate; stamens exserted; caps. 1-2 and more in. long and about .33 in. wide.

Habitat:  Takes sun, heat, wind, salt air, some drought when established.  Tolerates light shade; not good in frost areas.  Use as espalier, bank cover (especially good on hot, steep slopes), coarse barrier hedge.  (Sunset Editors, New Western Garden Book, 1984 Edition,  482).  Escape from cultivation.  Blooms October through the winter.

Name:  Tecoma-ria, name derived from Tecoma, alluding to its affinity.  (Bailey 907).   Tecoma is a genus of shrubs of the Bignoniaceae native to Florida, Mexico and  South America.  Tecomaria is closely related but restricted to Africa.  Tecomaria was chosen as a name for the African species to indicate the resemblance to Tecoma of the New World.  (John Johnson from Hortus III, 1099).  Capensis, of the Cape of Good Hope.  (Bailey 12).

General:  Rare in the study area, having been found only once and this on the path from 23rd St. to Mariners Dr. where, in 1993,  a large plant or plants slid from the bluff to nearly the line of highest tide.  The plants have survived for over fifteen years at this writing and now grow from the base of the bluff almost back to the top where they started from.  (my comments).      Three species, grown out-of-doors in warm regions for their showy flowers.  (Bailey 907).

Text Ref:  Bailey 908; Sunset Editors, New Western Garden Book 482.

Photo Ref:  Sept 95 # 1,2,3; June 06 # 13A,14A.  

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by John Johnson.  

First Found: September 1995.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 485.

Plant specimen to UC Riverside 2004.

Last edit 6/15/06.  

                                    September Photo                                                                  June Photo