1 / 10

Tecomaria capensis

Cape honeysuckle

Bignoniaceae Southern Africa

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Attracts Hummingbirds Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Container Friendly

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 8–11

Overview

Tecomaria capensis is a scrambling evergreen shrub that grows 6-10 feet (1.8-3 m) tall as a free-standing mound or climbs 12-25 feet (3.7-7.6 m) when supported, sending out long, arching canes. Leaves are pinnately compound, 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) long, with 5-9 glossy dark green, toothed leaflets. Clusters of tubular flowers 1.5-2 inches (4-5 cm) long open at the branch tips, curved and flaring into five lobes, in orange to scarlet and, in named forms, yellow or salmon. Bloom is heaviest in late summer and fall but continues year-round in frost-free climates. Curved seed capsules follow the flowers in warm regions. Growth is fast and dense, and untrained plants sucker and root where canes touch soil, spreading into thickets. Foliage is damaged below about 28F (-2C), and top growth is killed by hard frost, though established roots resprout in zones 8-9.

Native Range

Native to southern Africa, from South Africa's Eastern Cape north through eSwatini and Mozambique into eastern Africa. Grows on forest margins, bushveld, rocky slopes, and coastal scrub, often scrambling over other vegetation.

Suggested Uses

Planted as an informal hedge, bank cover, or espalier and trained on fences and trellises in frost-free and near-frost-free regions, spaced 3-5 feet (0.9-1.5 m) apart. The tubular flowers draw hummingbirds, sunbirds, and butterflies. Its suckering, scrambling habit makes it hard to contain in small or formal gardens.

How to Identify

Recognized by glossy, pinnately compound leaves with toothed leaflets and terminal clusters of curved, tubular orange-to-scarlet flowers about 1.5-2 inches (4-5 cm) long with protruding stamens. The scrambling, suckering habit and long arching canes aid recognition. Separated from trumpet vines such as Campsis radicans by its smaller flowers, evergreen leaves, and shrubbier, non-twining growth.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height6' - 10'

Width/Spread6' - 10'

Colors

Flower Colors

red

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~12 weeks

Summer Fall

Flowers most heavily from late summer into fall, roughly August through November, and blooms intermittently year-round where winters stay frost-free. Individual clusters open over 2-3 weeks. Cool weather and frost halt flowering until warmth returns.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

orange to scarlet

Foliage Description

dark green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand clay

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-3 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun to part shade in well-drained soil and tolerates heat, wind, salt spray, and a range of soils once established. Water regularly through the first season, then occasionally, as established plants are drought-tolerant but flower more with summer moisture. It spreads by suckers and rooting canes and can overrun nearby plants without regular cutting back. Top growth is killed below about 25F (-4C), resprouting from the roots in zones 8-9 and staying evergreen in zones 10-11. Whiteflies, aphids, and scale may appear. Plants are vigorous and long-lived where winters are mild.

Pruning

Cut back hard in late winter or early spring to control size and remove frost-damaged wood; the plant resprouts quickly. Shear after the main bloom to shape it as a shrub or hedge. Removing suckers and rooting canes limits its spread.

Pruning Schedule

winterearly spring