Dilip Walse Patil

Scientific Name : Tecoma smithii W.Watson

Category : Angiosperms

Status : Alive

This is an artifical hybrid plant. A large evergreen shrub to 8 to 15 feet tall by at least as wide with orange flowers that have a tubular base and flaring petals. The flowers fade with age to pale orange-yellow and appear from early spring through fall to first frost – can go year-round in frost free years. Best if planted in full sun and watered occasionally but can tolerate light shade where it better tolerates lower irrigation regimes. Hardy to the mid 20s° F and can resprout if frozen to the ground. A large shrub that adds cheery orange color to the garden and can also be trained up as a small tree. This plant is thought to be a hybrid between the central Mexican Tecoma stans forma velutina and the South African Tecoma [Tecomaria] capensis. Though this hybrid does not have leaves as such, Tecoma stans forma velutina has foliage that is more pubescent, which distinguishes it from the typical wide ranging Mexican variety, Tecoma stans var. stans and the more northerly variety, T. stans var. angustifolia, which ranges into Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Tecoma smithii is an evergreen, flowering, erect medium perennial shrub. Smaller more erect and of finer texture than Tecoma stans. Usually with a short, twisted trunk. Grows 2-4m tall with a spread of 1.5-3m. Medium to fast growth at a rate of 60cm – 1.2m p/a. Flowers are showy and they are orange-yellow with fine red lines along the inside of the throat and with light orange-brown on the outside of the petals.