Tecoma stans

Invasive species Disclaimer

In view of the fact that some tree species are invasive, the world Agroforestry Center (ICRAF) has put in place a policy document on Invasive Alien Species, currently under draft available at Here.

For more information on this subject, please refer to
100 of the World's worst Invasive and Alien Species.




Species Index    A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Multiple Criteria Search


Abelmoschus moschatus
Acacia aneura
Acacia angustissima
Acacia aulacocarpa
Acacia auriculiformis
Acacia catechu
Acacia cincinnata
Acacia crassicarpa
Acacia elatior
Acacia erioloba
Acacia etbaica
Acacia ferruginea
Acacia glauca
Acacia holosericea
Acacia karroo*
Acacia koa
Acacia laeta
Acacia lahai
Acacia leptocarpa
Acacia leucophloea
Acacia mangium
Acacia mearnsii*
Acacia melanoxylon
Acacia mellifera
Acacia nilotica subsp nilotica
Acacia pachycarpa
Acacia pennatula
Acacia polyacantha ssp. polyacantha
Acacia saligna
Acacia senegal
Acacia seyal
Acacia sieberiana
Acacia tortilis
Acacia xanthophloea
Acrocarpus fraxinifolius
Adansonia digitata
Adenanthera pavonina
Aegle marmelos
Afzelia africana
Afzelia quanzensis
Agathis macrophylla
Agathis philippinensis
Ailanthus altissima
Ailanthus excelsa
Ailanthus triphysa
Albizia adianthifolia
Albizia amara
Albizia anthelmintica
Albizia chinensis
Albizia coriaria
Albizia ferruginea
Albizia gummifera
Albizia julibrissin
Albizia lebbeck
Albizia odoratissima
Albizia procera
Albizia saman
Albizia versicolor
Albizia zygia
Aleurites moluccana
Allanblackia floribunda
Allanblackia stuhlmannii
Allanblackia ulugurensis
Alnus acuminata
Alnus cordata
Alnus japonica
Alnus nepalensis
Alnus rubra
Alphitonia zizyphoides
Alstonia boonei
Alstonia congensis
Alstonia scholaris
Altingia excelsa
Anacardium occidentale
Andira inermis
Annona cherimola
Annona muricata
Annona reticulata
Annona senegalensis
Annona squamosa
Anogeissus latifolia
Anthocephalus cadamba
Antiaris toxicaria
Antidesma bunius
Araucaria bidwillii
Araucaria cunninghamii
Arbutus unedo
Areca catechu
Arenga pinnata
Argania spinosa
Artemisia annua
Artocarpus altilis
Artocarpus camansi
Artocarpus heterophyllus
Artocarpus integer
Artocarpus lakoocha
Artocarpus mariannensis
Asimina triloba
Ateleia herbert-smithii
Aucomea klaineana
Averrhoa bilimbi
Averrhoa carambola
Azadirachta excelsa
Azadirachta indica
Azanza garckeana
Related Links
Flowers at Deering Park Florida
© Forest and Kim Starr
Flowers at Deering Park Florida
© Forest and Kim Starr
Tecoma stans tree at the Nairobi Arboretum
© AFT team

Local names:
Arabic (tacoma), Creole (chevalye,flé senpié,zeb sennikola), English (ginger thomas,tecoma,trumpetflower,yellow bells,yellow bignonia,yellow cedar,yellow elder,yellow trumpet tree), French (Tecoma jaune,herbe de St. Nicholas,fleur de St. Pierre,chevalier

Tecoma stans is a shrub or small tree, 5-7.6 m in height. Bark is pale brown to grey and roughens with age.

Leaves are compound and imparipinnate with 2 to 5 pairs of leaflets and a larger single terminal leaflet. Leaflets are lanceolate, up to 10 cm long, with serrated margins, mid-green above and soft to the touch.

Flowers occur in clusters at the ends of the branches and are trumpet shaped with 5 rounded lobes, 6 cm long, pale to bright yellow, with faint orange stripes at the throat.

Fruits are narrow, slightly flattened to pointed capsules, up to 20 cm long, containing many winged seeds; green when young, pale brown on ripening and remain on the tree in untidy clusters for many months.

The generic name is derived from the Mexican word for the plant, tecomnaxochitl, which means ‘vessel-flower’ and refers to the large, cup-shaped or trumpet-shaped blooms. The specific name means ‘erect’ in Latin.

Ecology

The drought-resistant trees are intolerant to frost and are light demanders.

Native range
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Surinam, Uruguay, Venezuela

Tree management

T. stans is a fast-growing tree that is easily raised and fairly drought resistant. Trees can perform well in areas of less than the recommended rainfall but need to be irrigated; they can also grow at higher altitudes than recommended, but is then said to be slow in flowering. Young plants need irrigation and protection from livestock, but once established, they can survive well on irregular watering and care. In frost-prone areas, trees are spaced 1.2 m apart and in warm climates, 2.4 m apart.

Seed storage behaviour is orthodox, and seeds can be stored for long periods under ideal conditions.

The drought-resistant trees are intolerant to frost and are light demanders.

Trees are easily propagated from seeds that can be planted directly into pots, and they require no pretreatment. Seedlings require 3 to 4 months in the nursery, after which they can be directly planted out. Regeneration by cuttings is also possible.

Trees provide firewood and charcoal.

Timber:  Wood is used in the construction of buildings.

Shade or shelter:  T. stans provides useful shade, especially in gardens.

Medicine:  Leaf infusion can be taken orally for diabetes and stomach pains; a strong leaf and root decoction is taken orally as a diuretic, to treat syphilis or for intestinal worms.

Ornamental:  The species is valued as an amenity tree by virtue of its many yellow trumpet-shaped flowers.

Trees can be planted as a live hedge.