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Thursday - October 06, 2011

From: San Antonio, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Is there a red esperanza (Tecoma stans)?
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

There is a red esperanza that I pass by everyday on my way home from work. I have never seen this plant anywhere but this particular spot. Is there really a variety that is red or do you think it is just a darker version of the orange that happens to be planted next to it?

ANSWER:

I suspect that the red esperanza you are seeing isn't a Tecoma stans (Yellow bells or esperanza) at all, but another species, a close relative called Tecoma capensis (cape honesuckle), an introduced species from South Africa. Here are more photos of Tecoma capensis.

Another possibility is Tecoma fulva, a native of South America.

I couldn't find any varieities of Tecoma stans that were red, however. I did find some hybrid varieties that were yellow with red highlights giving them an overall orange color. Here are a couple of those:

Tecoma x 'Sierra Apricot'

Tecoma x 'Sunrise'