Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
5 ratings

Sunday - December 16, 2007

From: San Antonio, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Propagation
Title: Time of year to plant Tecoma stans
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I wanted to know when the best time to plant the Esperanza flower (Tecoma stans) was. The information on the website did not give planting dates or soil conditions for this plant. Can you please help?

ANSWER:

The best time to plant a woody plant like Tecoma stans (yellow trumpetbush) is in the late winter when the plant is relatively dormant. However, you can also purchase the "Gold Star Esperanza" cultivar from nurseries in pots, as well as plant from seeds or rooted cuttings. Probably the best time for a potted nursery specimen would be after the last frost in early spring.

Tecoma stans is classified as a deciduous perennial, blooming from spring to fall and, in ideal conditions, year round. It is considered hardy in USDA Zones 9-11, and probably will be okay in San Antonio. A hard freeze, down to 20 deg. may cause it to freeze to the ground, but if it is trimmed to the ground in late winter, it will regrow when it warms up. It needs sun to partial shade, and will grow in a wide variety of soils, including sand and limestone. This Texas Cooperative Extension website will give you more complete information on this plant, with the very apt common name of "Yellow Bells."

 


Tecoma stans

 

 

More Propagation Questions

How can I propagate Magnolia trees? Airlayeringg, semi-hardwood cuttings, and seeds.
July 01, 2008 - Hi. My grandmother recently passed away. One of her most prized possessions was her magnolia tree. She absolutely loved that tree. I, along with other members of the family each want to take a pie...
view the full question and answer

Twist-leaf Yucca flowering in Burnet County, TX.
June 16, 2015 - I recently moved to Burnet County and our property is full of twist leaf yuccas which are now blooming, but not all are blooming. Why do some twist leaf yuccas bloom and others don't? Are they m...
view the full question and answer

Transplanting adventitious shoots of a mountain laurel in San Antonio
August 20, 2009 - Is it possible to transplant branches (shoots) growing from a mountain laurel that was chopped down? Some are two years old and several feet tall (but not yet blooming) and some as small as a foot. ...
view the full question and answer

Do Fleming yaupons make pollen
November 09, 2010 - I have been told that all Will Fleming yaupons are male and can serve as effective pollinators for female yaupons (the females I have are Pride of Houston variety). Is this true? Also, can dwarf yau...
view the full question and answer

Germinating Hibiscus martianus, Heartleaf hibiscus
June 11, 2013 - Is there some secret to getting Heart Leaf Hibiscus to germinate from seed? I have tried several times, but have had no luck getting them to germinate.
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.