Cape Honeysuckle (aka Tecoma capensis) is one of those rampant shrubs you either love or hate! It spreads like mad and tends to overtake the ground around it, but for gardeners entranced by the bold and beautiful (c’est moi! 😉 ) this winter bloomer is sure to please!
My first awareness of this South African native occured last winter while I was weeding the wildflower garden at Hallstrom House. By chance, I noticed a T. capensis sucker scrabbling across the ground and the rest as they say, is history ➡ I dug it up and brought it home to my vine wall, where it happily put down new roots!
Cape Honeysuckle is one of 650 species in the bignonia plant family of woody stemmed ornamentals. It has finely textured, pinnately compound leaves and elongated racemes of 3″ long funnelform flowers: The next two pictures show the flower clusters as they look prior to opening. (click if you’d like to enlarge them!)
Cape Honeysuckle is hardy to zone 9 and prefers full sun. Careful monitoring is needed to keep it in check, and a hard prune suggested for late winter to ensure heavy blooming the following year.
And now it’s time to start baking for tomorrow! We’re celebrating Thanksgiving at my mother’s house, and bringing the sweet potatoes and cornbread. 🙂
I want you all to know how much I appreciate everyone who’s made blogging so educational and fun for me. Thank you!
Until next time…..
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