[ritamax]

I saw a very pretty shade tree called Tecoma stans in a Costa Blanca nursery. The gardener told, that it is very easy to grow in this climate. Any experience?

[Alice]

I grew two Tecoma stans plants from seed three years ago. They are doing well but are still quite small plants. However, they are in a part of the garden where nothing much thrives.
I would say that if other members of the Bignoniaceae (Campsis, Tecomaria) do well in your area, they would too. They are supposed to be drought-tolerant and good windbreaks, so yes, I would definitely recommend them.

[ritamax]

Thanks a lot, Alice! Yes, Campsis and Tecomaria capensis thrive well in this area, also Bignonia climbers.

[Fleur Pavlidis]

I bought a Tecoma stans by mistake a few years ago, meaning that I thought it was something else and I thought I didn't like Tecoma because it's too gaudy. Planted in a narrow bed on a south facing wall with weekly irrigation it immediately grew huge and I've grown to love it. An unexpected pleasure is the seed pods. They hang down like spikey fingers and, when fresh, are a bright green - almost as gaudy as the flowers.

[ritamax]

Thank you, Fleur! I saw a Tecoma of 2,5 meters for 70 euros to buy in a nursery. It has a nice crown and could probably soon give some shade.

[MikeHardman]

I rather like its Spanish name, Esperanza - for 'hope'.
I think it is a good yellow - not too vivid / pale / piccalilli-coloured.
I have a few but they are slow to get going for me (not helped by proximity to Cupressus sempervirens).
The first one I saw, at Secret Valley golf course near Paphos was, I noted at the time, fragrant. Since then I have failed to notice much/any scent from their flowers...

[ritamax]

I didn't know the Spanish name. Esperanza sounds nicer than say Judas' tree. I don't think I have ever seen it in my region, but perhaps I just haven't recognized it. I just read that the nectar and pollen of Tecoma stans is poisonous, whatever that means in practice.

[John J]

I think you'll find that it is honey made from the nectar/pollen of Tecoma stans that is poisonous. How you would recognise it from any other honey is another question altogether!!!

[MikeHardman]

...and I think poisonous needs clarification - to whom? humans/bees/...?

The nectar/pollen of silver lime is narcotic to bees, but they still feed on it - and are found dead or dying on the ground beneath the trees. There is some issue over honey from bees which have been feeding on Oleander. It is rather prone to opinion; I don't know the facts. But I have never had a problem eating honey.

[Alisdair]

There seems to be no toxicity to humans or other mammals in Tecoma stans itself (on the contrary, recent studies have suggested that extracts from it can be helpful in the treatment of diabetes). And as Mike suggests there doesn't seem to be any evidence that honey which might include Tecoma material poses any danger.

[John J]

Certain web-sites, for example www.mtunzini.co.za/aliens_tecoma.pdf, are quite emphatic in their declaration regarding the toxicity status of honey made from Tecoma stans nectar/pollen. Unfortunately, they don't seem to offer any scientific evidence to back up their claim. How it's possible to ascertain just which plants any particular bee(s) gathered their nectar/pollen from is a question I can't answer and I've never heard of anyone suffering from honey poisoning.