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Cape Honeysuckle
Tecoma capensis
SA tree no: 673.1
English: Cape Honeysuckle, Cape Honeysuckle Climber, Tecoma
Afrikaans: Kaapsekanferfoelie, Trompetters
Xhosa: UHata, Umnyarhi, Umunyane, Icakatha, Umsilingi
Zulu: Icacatha, Umkhande, Umkanyiboni, Imunyane, Incwincwi, Uchacha, Udodo, Ugcangca
Sotho: Sebojana
Setswana: Mochonochono
Historical scientific names: Bignonia capensis, Gelseminum capense, Tecomaria capensis, Tecomaria krebsii, Tecomaria petersii
Tecoma capensis, commonly known as the Cape Honeysuckle, is a vibrant, fast-growing indigenous plant. It's a scrambling shrub that can climb like a vine or be pruned into a neat hedge. This plant is super popular for its bright orange, trumpet-shaped flowers that appear for most of the year, adding a splash of colour to any garden!
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Distinguishing features:
A fast-growing, scrambling shrub that can climb or be pruned.
Has glossy, dark green, opposite leaves that have oval leaflets with blunt teeth.
Features tubular flowers that vary in colour from red, deep orange, yellow to salmon, borne in showy many-flowered heads.
Produces narrow, flattened pods (up to 100 mm long) that split open to release papery, winged seeds.
Flowers profusely for most of the year, especially from autumn to spring.
Overall appearance:
Tecoma capensis is an attractive, versatile, evergreen scrambling shrub. It has a vigorous growth habit and can climb over structures or other plants, or be shaped into a dense shrub or hedge through pruning. Its dense foliage provides a lush green backdrop for its striking, colourful flowers.
Height:
Typically reaches heights of 2–3 metres.
Leaves:
Arranged oppositely along the stems.
Pinnately compound leaves, meaning they are divided into smaller leaflets, and are imparipinnate (ending with a single leaflet).
Each leaf has 5 to 9 leaflets.
Leaflets are oval in shape, measuring 20 mm to 50 mm long and 10 mm to 20 mm wide.
They are dark green and glossy on the upper surface, and slightly paler underneath.
The margins (edges) of the leaflets have blunt teeth.
The main leaf stalk (petiole) can be up to 20 mm long, and the stalk of each leaflet is up to 2 mm long.
Flowers:
Flowers are tubular in showy many-flowered heads and vary in colour from red, deep orange, yellow to salmon.
They measure 45–70 mm long and 12–18 mm in diameter at the mouth.
The calyx (the outer whorl of sepals) is small and bell-shaped.
The flowers have four stamens (male parts) that are of two different lengths (didynamous).
The ovary is superior (positioned above other floral parts), and the style (female part) is slender.
Flowering season:
Tecoma capensis flowers profusely for most of the year, but its peak flowering season is mainly from autumn to spring (March to October).
Fruits:
The fruits are narrow, linear-oblong capsules, which are a type of dry fruit that splits open.
They are flattened and measure between 50 mm and 100 mm long, and about 10 mm wide.
Initially green, they mature to a grey-brown colour.
When ripe, they split open longitudinally (lengthwise) to release the seeds.
Seeds:
Numerous within each capsule.
They are thin, flattened, and have papery wings, which help them to be dispersed by wind.
Stems:
The stems are typically light brown and woody. When young, they can be somewhat semi-succulent (fleshy), helping the plant to climb and scramble effectively.
Soil type:
This adaptable plant tolerates most soil types, but it will do best in well-drained conditions.
Aspect:
Tecoma capensis prefers full sun but can also tolerate semi-shade. Once established, it is remarkably drought tolerant. It can also tolerate moderate frost, making it quite hardy in many South African climates.
Edibility:
While the plant is not typically consumed for food, various parts of Tecoma capensis have been used in traditional medicine for various ailments.
Toxicity:
There are no reports of toxicity for Tecoma capensis to humans or animals on the SANBI source pages.
Uses:
Ornamental Plant: It is a highly popular ornamental plant cultivated worldwide due to its attractive flowers and versatile growth habit. It can be trained as a climber on walls, trellises, or fences, grown as a free-standing shrub, or pruned into a formal hedge.
Traditional Medicine: Various parts of the plant are used in traditional medicine. The leaves are used to treat fevers, colds, and pneumonia. The bark is used for pain relief, and the roots are traditionally used for insomnia.
Soil Stabiliser: Its dense root system and scrambling growth habit make it effective for stabilising soil, particularly on banks and slopes, helping to prevent erosion.
Wildlife Attraction: It attracts various pollinators and provides shelter for small animals.
Ecology:
Pollination: The bright, trumpet-shaped flowers are a favourite of sunbirds, which are important pollinators for the plant as they feed on its nectar.
Insect Food Source: The plant provides a food source for various insects.
Larval Host Plant: Tecoma capensis serves as a crucial larval host plant for two beautiful butterfly species: the Grey Commodore butterfly (Precis archesia) and the Bushveld Commodore butterfly (Precis octavia sesamus). This means the caterpillars of these butterflies feed on its leaves.
Shelter: Its dense and tangled growth habit provides excellent shelter and nesting sites for small birds and other small animals.
Distribution and habitat:
Tecoma capensis is indigenous to Southern Africa, with a wide natural distribution.
South African Provinces: It is naturally found in the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, and Western Cape provinces.
Beyond SA: Its natural range also extends into Swaziland and Mozambique.
Habitat: It grows in a variety of natural habitats, including coastal thicket, dune bush, open grassland, and along forest margins. It is often found forming dense, tangled masses.
Altitude: It can be found from sea level up to an altitude of 2 000 metres.
Derivation of name:
The genus name, Tecoma, comes from the Nahuatl word tecomaxochitl. This ancient indigenous language of Mexico was used to refer to plants that have trumpet-shaped flowers, which perfectly describes the blooms of the Cape Honeysuckle.
The specific epithet, capensis, is a Latin word meaning 'of the Cape'. This refers to its origin in the Cape of Good Hope region of South Africa, where it was first identified and described.
Historical aspects:
Tecoma capensis has a long history of cultivation globally, having been introduced to many parts of the world due to its exceptional ornamental value. In its native Southern Africa, it has been used in traditional African medicine for centuries, with various parts of the plant being employed to treat a range of ailments. Its beauty and hardiness have made it a beloved garden plant for generations.
Interesting facts:
Did you know that sunbirds absolutely love the bright, trumpet-shaped flowers of the Cape Honeysuckle? They're often spotted darting around, sipping nectar!
This plant is a VIP host for butterflies! Its leaves are a super important food source for the caterpillars of the Grey Commodore and Bushveld Commodore butterflies.
You can grow this plant in so many ways: as a climber, a shrub, or even a neat hedge – it's incredibly versatile!
Despite its common name, Cape Honeysuckle isn't actually a true honeysuckle, but it sure does attract attention with its colourful blooms!
Growing tips:
Propagation: You can easily grow new Cape Honeysuckle plants from fresh seeds or from cuttings.
Seeds: Clean the seeds well and sow them in a well-drained growing medium. They usually germinate quite quickly, often within 2 to 3 weeks.
Cuttings: Semi-hardwood cuttings are also easy to root, making propagation straightforward.
Growth Rate: This is a fast-growing plant, so it won't take long to fill a space or cover a structure.
Watering: Once established, it's pretty good at handling dry spells (drought tolerant). However, make sure to water young plants regularly, especially during dry periods, to help them settle in.
Aspect: Plant it where it gets plenty of full sun, though it can also handle a bit of semi-shade.
Soil: It's not too fussy about soil type and will grow in most conditions, as long as the soil drains well.
Pruning: It responds really well to pruning. You can prune it to keep it bushy, train it as a climber, or shape it into a hedge.
This plant is a fantastic alternative for:
Common name
Scientific Name
Plant type:
Plant type
Plant family:
Bignoniaceae (Jean-Paul Bignon (1662–1743), statesman and royal librarian) - Order: Lamiales