Free Shipping! 10 seeds Cape Honeysuckle---Golden Sunshine Hummingbird magnets!

Description: Not a true honeysuckle. A Tecoma capensis (or, Tecomaria capensis) 'Aurea' or, as I call it, 'Golden Sunshine'. Thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 9-11. The 1st photo was taken October 2021 while in full bloom. The next 4 photos were taken in Sept. 2020, when planted as a large starter plant. You can see how fast it grew in only 9 months, and those were mostly the winter months. A native of South Africa and thrives in very hot, very dry climates, but also grows very well in more moderate environments. The bright yellow color of the flowers glow like gold in the sun! I just planted it as a starter in late September, and it immediately flowered & produced seed pods!! The flowers have no fragrance, so OK to grow near doors & windows without worry for those sensitive to odors. And, you WILL want to grow it near an open door or window! Hummingbirds fight over these flowers all day, every day! You only need to leave the door or drapes open and enjoy the show! Very versatile----they can be trained to grow as a vine, left to grow naturally as a large shrub, kept pruned as smaller shrubs, or planted closely together to create a tall, green privacy screen between you & your neighbors, or kept pruned for a shorter hedge border, and they are exceptional as potted plants. I also have seeds of: the more rare peachy-pink flowered variety, as well as the widely-known electric orange flowered variety, and the lesser known 'Red Riot' with much larger flowers, so be sure to check out my page. In addition to producing seed pods (look like long green beans) for propagation, they will occasionally send out shoots that will take root & create a whole new plant. Follow the stem into the ground, carefully brushing away the dirt to avoid damaging small roots, and find the main root cluster to make sure you include them when you cut away the new plant from the old plant, if you wish to move the new plant. They are very hardy & transplant well---just be sure to water them generously everyday until they become established---approx. one month, as they will also be suffering some trauma & shock due to abrupt separation from the parent plant. After established, it is best to water deeply & infrequently to encourage its drought-tolerance qualities. In the photo above, (photo # 9), of the 9-foot tall peach-flowered variety, is such a transplant. It has been one year since I removed it from its parent, at about 7 inches high. Now, it is approx. 9 feet tall, growing for only one year, in full sun, in hot, dry Southern California (I have provided semi-regular watering)--I would say it is a fast grower. After established, it is best to water deeply & infrequently to encourage its drought-tolerance qualities. They grow fastest in full sun, and thrive in the blistering hot Southern California summer sun. They will also grow very well in part-sun conditions, they just grow more slowly. Easily grows to 12 feet tall or higher, with a spread of about 4 feet. Plant seeds just barely beneath the soil surface & water a little bit every day until established, then begin to water more deeply & less frequently. *** When you water, remember that you are not only watering the plant, you are also watering the surrounding soil. Dry soil will suck up all the water, fast! *** Water for several inches around the plant, to create a moisture buffer zone & to compensate for the moisture extraction by drier surrounding soil. Grows in any type soil, but if your soil is poor, maybe dig a small hole & fill with potting soil to plant the seeds into for a better start. Drought & heat tolerant, as well as salt-tolerant & wind resistant---excellent for coastal plantings. Long-lived evergreen perennial in warm winter climates (may drop leaves in winter in colder climates), attracts hummingbirds, no pest or disease issues, low-maintenance, very sturdy, easy-to-grow plant. Blooms all year in warm winter climates, may not bloom in winter in colder climates but will bloom late Spring through Autumn. The last photo is the backside of a hummingbird nest. They are very securely attached, as I, from a distance, thought this was a spider nest and shot it with a steady, strong stream from the hose, but it would not shake loose. That's when I approached & saw it was an abandoned nest. So---there's no need to worry about knocking these loose, it's pretty much impossible. I had to cut off the branch to get rid of the nest. Unfortunately, there were 2 hummingbird skeletons at the opening, so I assume something happened to the mother & the babies starved to death awaiting her return. So sad. I didn't want the dead birds to prevent new nests from being built.

Price: 3.5 USD

Location: Redondo Beach, California

End Time: 2024-08-16T15:30:08.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD