Backyard Nature Wednesday: Cape honeysuckle

Tecoma capensis, commonly called Cape honeysuckle, is a glorious fall bloomer. The name "Cape honeysuckle" comes from the fact that the plant's native region is around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. In this country, it thrives in regions 9-11 and can survive and do well in region 8 with some protection. In my zone 9a garden, it does very well indeed.

Cape honeysuckle is not a true honeysuckle but its blossoms are full of nectar and it is very attractive to pollinators of all kinds, including hummingbirds. The rampantly growing plant can produce some blossoms throughout the year, but its major bloom cycle comes in late summer and fall when other plants are winding down. In my garden, the blooms are at their height in November. They are a beacon to the hummingbirds that migrate through here at this time.

This is a large plant that needs plenty of space. It can grow to 10 feet tall, but one of its saving graces is that it can be pruned ruthlessly to keep it in the size you want. Just be sure you don't prune it at the wrong time or you'll prune all the buds off. It can take full sun, even the hot Texas sun. But it will also thrive in some light shade. In other words, it is a very versatile plant that requires practically no care. Hummingbirds love it, butterflies love it, and I love it. It has been a wonderful addition to my garden and, if you live in an appropriate region, I highly recommend it for an addition to yours.   

Comments

  1. JayneDecember 2, 2015 at 10:52 AM

    Ooooh - I need to get one of these! Not sure where I would put it, but I'm sure I could find somewhere.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersDecember 2, 2015 at 12:22 PM

      If you've got a place along your fence that can provide some support, that would be a good spot for it. It grows naturally in a vine-like form but can be pruned to be kept as a shrub.

      Delete
  2. GlennaDecember 2, 2015 at 11:32 AM

    That's a gorgeous plant!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Judy KruegerDecember 2, 2015 at 12:13 PM

    Such a photogenic plant. Thanks for the history of the name. I love mine just because it is a rampant grower. It is huge after only 2 years while I wait for other things that take longer to "arrive" as it were.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersDecember 2, 2015 at 12:24 PM

      "Rampant" certainly describes it well. It could take over the garden if allowed free rein.

      Delete
  4. CarmenDecember 2, 2015 at 12:37 PM

    I think I've seen those in the Caribbean. Is it possible? Yours is certainly beautiful at this time of year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersDecember 2, 2015 at 12:45 PM

      Quite possible. They would do well in that region.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Open Season (Joe Pickett #1) by C.J. Box - A review

I was introduced to the writing of C.J. Box through my local library's Mystery Book Club.  Open Season , the first in Box's Joe Pickett series, was the club's selection for reading in June. Although I didn't get a chance to read it in time for the meeting, the discussion of it made me curious and I put it on my to-be-read list. I'm glad I finally got around to it this week. Box has created an enormously appealing character in Joe Pickett. A Wyoming game warden, Joe is a devoted family man with two young daughters and a pregnant wife when we first meet him. He and his family are able to barely scrape by financially on the meager salary of a state employee  (Been there, done that!) , but Joe is a happy man, because he's living his dream. Being a game warden was what he always wanted to be. Not only Joe but his whole family are lovingly drawn by Box. We get to know them well and to like them and want them not just to endure but to triumph. Seven-year-old Sherid
Read more

Poetry Sunday: Hymn for the Hurting by Amanda Gorman

You probably remember poet Amanda Gorman from her appearance at the inauguration of President Biden. She read her poem "The Hill We Climb" on that occasion. After the senseless slaughter in Uvalde this week, she was inspired to write another poem which was published in The New York Times. It seemed perfect for the occasion and so I stole it in order to feature it here, just in case you didn't get a chance to read it in the Times . Hymn for the Hurting by Amanda Gorman Everything hurts, Our hearts shadowed and strange, Minds made muddied and mute. We carry tragedy, terrifying and true. And yet none of it is new; We knew it as home, As horror, As heritage. Even our children Cannot be children, Cannot be. Everything hurts. It’s a hard time to be alive, And even harder to stay that way. We’re burdened to live out these days, While at the same time, blessed to outlive them. This alarm is how we know We must be altered — That we must differ or die, That we must triumph or try.
Read more

Poetry Sunday: Don't Hesitate by Mary Oliver

How about we share another Mary Oliver poem? After all, you can never have too many of those. In this one, the poet seems to acknowledge that it is often hard to simply live in and enjoy the moment, perhaps because we are afraid it can't last. She urges us to give in to that moment and fully experience the joy. Although "much can never be redeemed, still, life has some possibility left." Don't Hesitate by Mary Oliver If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty of lives and whole towns destroyed or about to be. We are not wise, and not very often kind. And much can never be redeemed. Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this is its way of fighting back, that sometimes something happens better than all the riches or power in the world. It could be anything, but very likely you notice it in the instant when love begins. Anyway, that’s often the case. Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid of its plenty. Joy is no
Read more