Tecoma Stans, Yellow Trumpetbush - 0.5 kg Seeds

Tecoma stans (Tecoma stans), called yellow trumpetbush, yellow bells or yellow elder, is a fast-growing evergreen to semi-evergreen large shrub or small tree reaching 4-8 m, with bright green, sharply toothed pinnate leaves. It flowers almost year round in warm climates, carrying showy clusters of fragrant, golden-yellow trumpet-shaped blooms that are very attractive to bees, butterflies and sunbirds. Native to the Americas, it is now naturalised throughout India and is one of the most common hedge and garden flowering shrubs in towns and along roads.

It is grown mainly as an ornamental and landscaping plant for its long, profuse bloom and easy care, and is widely used for informal flowering hedges, screens, traffic islands and slope stabilisation. It is notably drought tolerant once established, and the flowers and roots have minor uses in traditional medicine.

• Family: Bignoniaceae
• Native region: Tropical America (naturalised across India)
• Mature height: 4-8 m
• Growth rate: Fast

Sowing the seed: the light, papery winged seeds germinate readily and need no special pre-treatment, though a brief few-hour soak can help. Surface sow or barely cover them with about 0.5 cm of fine, well-drained nursery mix, keep moist and warm in good light; germination is fast, usually within 7-14 days. Prick the seedlings into polybags once sturdy and transplant when 20-30 cm tall, ideally in the warm or early monsoon months.