Growing Tecoma Stans, Yellow Bells

Do you know that Tecoma stans, aka yellow bells, are tough shrubs that can grace your garden with stunning flowers for a number of months?

Tecoma stans tend to have a profuse number of large trumpet-shaped blooms, and yellow bells that stand out in most gardens.

Though it is not fragrant, the flowers, especially the red ones are a favorite of hummingbirds and other pollinators like bees and butterflies.

Moreover, the glossy green foliage of these plants will make a beautiful backdrop for other plants when not in bloom.

As this plant ages, it can develop an attractive gray-brown corky bark.

You will need to plant Tecoma stans in ich, well-draining soil, with medium moisture, for the most impressive display of blossoms and lushest foliage.

Your plant will appreciate soil that you amend with organic matter.

Keep on reading.

Tecoma Stans

Tecoma Stans or yellow bells is a fast-growing evergreen shrub with slender, gray-brown branches, and clusters of bright yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers.

Green, toothed, lace-shaped leaves tend to offer a stunning backdrop for the vibrant blooms of the shrubs.

This attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees.

Also known as esperanza or yellow elder, these plants tend to produce long, green seedpods after flowering that tend to act as a food source for small animals.

While beautiful and fast-growing, these plants can also become invasive.

Quick Facts about Tecoma Stans

Some quicks facts about Tecoma Stan are:

Tecoma Stans Care

Though this plant tends to have a showy appearance, they are not high-maintenance.

In fact, Tacoma stans or yellow bell shrubs tend to be tolerant of drought, heat, and cold.

Moreover, these shrubs are great choices for perennial or rock gardens.

And you can even grow them in pots or as annuals outside of their growing zones.

The fast growth of yellow bells and thin branches make them susceptible to wind damage.

So you can try to place them in an area where you can shelter them from high winds.

Yellow bells are often not bothered by diseases or pests, though scale can affect this shrub.

Small animals tend to enjoy snacking on the seeds.

While larger animals like deer are known to graze on the foliage of this plant.

It is important to note that due to their fast growth and hardy nature, yellow bells can take over flora outside of their native zone, becoming an invasive, problematic species.

In areas like Africa, Asia, parts of South America, the Pacific Islands, and Australia, this plant is considered invasive.

While native to North, South, and Central America, this plant has become an invasive species in Florida.

Light and Soil Requirments

Yellow bells love to thrive in full sun, however, you can also grow them in partially shaded areas.

It is important to note that yellow bells in partial shade will not grow as tall or as lush as those that receive 6 hours of sunlight or more each day.

Moreover, this plant is tolerant of a number of soil conditions.

But they do best in rich, slightly moist, well-draining soil.

You can add a healthy amount of compost to the soil which is an effective way to make sure there is adequate draining while providing important nutrients.

Water, Temperature, and other requirements

Tecoma stans or yellow bells thrive best in dry to slightly moist soil conditions.

As desert plants, these plants are drought tolerant and can handle dry spells.

Make sure to avoid overwatering your plant as this can lead to rot problems.

Natural rainfall is often adequate to keep your plant thriving.

During drought, this plant will appreciate some supplemental water.

You will need to water your plant once or twice a month.

During extended droughts, weekly watering can help your plant.

Yellow bells tend to be naturally found in warm climates such as the Sonoran Desert.

They are both heat and cold-tolerant, however, will go dormant in temperatures below freezing.

Moreover, this robust shrub can withstand both droughts and humid climates.

In most cases, Tecoma stans will not need additional fertilizer.

However, in case you notice the plant is slow to grow or bloom, you can add a well-balanced fertilizer once during the growing season.

Pruning and Propagating Tips

It is important to note that annual pruning can help your plants to maintain their shape.

Moreover, it tends to encourage new healthy growth.

Prune your plant in late winter after the threat of frost.

During this, make sure to remove old-growth inner branches and cut the old woody growth back.

If there is no green wood growth, cut the shrub to the ground.

In most cases, it tends to re-grow quickly in the spring.

You can easily propagate yellow bells through cuttings that you take in spring or summer.

To do this, you will need a sharp knife or a pair of garden snips, a small pot with drainage holes, a plastic bag, a rubber band, and rich, well-draining soil.

Once you have these materials, follow the steps below:

• during spring or summer, with the help of a sharp knife or pair of garden snips remove a tip cutting that is several inches long
• bury the cut end into rich, well-draining soil and moisten it
• cover the cutting with a plastic bag to keep in moisture, and secure the bag around the pot with the help of a rubber band
• place the cutting in a warm area with bright, indirect light
• keep the soil moist but not soggy
• once there are several inches of new growth, you can remove the bag and repot your plant into a larger one if needed

Growing Tecoma Stans from Seeds

You can start yellow bells from seeds that you can collect from the plant.

To grow this plant from seeds, follow the steps below:

• collect seed pods from the plant and wait for them to become brown and dry
• then crack them open and remove the seeds
• fill a small pot with rich, well-draining soil, peat moss or vermiculite tends to work well
• lightly cover the seed in the growing medium
• water the soil, make sure to keep it moist but not soggy
• make sure to keep the pot in a warm area with bright, indirect lighting
• germination tends to occur in two to three weeks

Potting and Repotting Tips

Tecoma stans, aka yellows bells, tend to have a relatively compact size that allows them to grow in containers well.

You will need to choose a well-draining pot that is at least 12 inches wide or larger, depending on the shrub size.

Clay pots tend to be a great choice, as they mimic well-draining soil and wick away excess water.

The fast growth of this plant means that you will need to repot them more often as they are likely to outgrow their container size.

To do this, make sure that you gently tip the pot onto its side and tap the outside of the pot to loosen its root system.

Slide the plant out and set it in a larger rot, then fill it with well-draining soil burying the shrub to the same height it was before.

Overwintering Tecoma Stans

When you grow yellow bells in the USDA hardiness zones 10 to 11, they will not need any additional winter care.

When you are growing them in this area, it is best to keep these shrubs in containers.

This is when you can move them to a sheltered area.

Moreover, you can choose to place them in your garage or greenhouse.

Getting them to Bloom

Yellow bells are popular for their bright yellow, trumpet-shaped lightly fragrant flowers.

These tend to reach 3 to 5 inches long and appear every year from spring to fall.

Moreover, yellow bells tend to bloom best in full sun and well-draining soil.

You can deadhead the spent bloom to encourage more blooming and a bushier appearance.

Make sure to give this fast-growing shrub enough room to branch out, as they do not like to be craped or grown in a small space.

It is important to note that high-phosphorus fertilizers tend to encourage flowering.

Common Problems with Tecoma Stans

Tecoma stans, yellow bells are hardy plants that tend to thrive on neglect.

They often do not face any issues or problems.

However, the biggest problem for them is a lack of blooming.

Lack of Blooming: If your plant is struggling to bloom, it can be for a number of reasons.

The most common cause is the lack of enough light, drainage, or space.

If you face such problems, the following are steps you can take:

For more light, make sure to plant your plant in an area that gets about 6 hours of sunlight every day.

Replant the shrub, or move the container to a more suitable location.

If you are suspecting low-draining soil conditions, add sand or another fast-draining material to the soil.

This will allow excess water to drain.

In order to avoid a lack of blooming due to space, plant these shrubs 4 to 6 feet apart.

While in the case of potted plants, you will need to move your plant to a larger pot as do not like to be root bound.