Esperanza, Yellow

Winter hardy to USDA Zones 10-11 where it is best grown in fertile, organically rich, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. In zone 5 or colder, grow plants in pots/containers that are overwintered indoors in bright sunny rooms as houseplants. Deadhead flowers to prolong bloom. Prune as needed after flowerings.  Tecoma stans, commonly called yellow bells, is native to the West Indies, Florida, and Mexico to South America. It is a broadleaf evergreen shrub or small tree that grows from 10’ to 25’ tall and features a lengthy bloom of bright yellow tubular flowers. It is typically sold by nurseries in the zone 5 or colder area as a container plant for patios in somewhat the same manner as Mandevilla and Bougainvillea. It features odd pinnate medium green leaves with ovate-oblong toothed leaflets (2-4” long). Trumpet-shaped bright yellow flowers (to 2” long) in axillary and terminal racemes bloom continuously from late spring to frost. Flowers are slightly fragrant. Flowers are followed by narrow bean-like capsules (to 8” long) that are filled with papery-winged seed