'Orange Jubilee' Tecoma (Tecoma 'Orange Jubilee'): Heat-Loving Trumpet Flowers

'Orange Jubilee' Tecoma, also called Orange Esperanza, Orangebells, or Orange Star, is a spectacular, heat-loving shrub that produces waves of bright orange trumpet flowers from spring through fall. A cultivar of Tecoma alata (syn. Tecoma × 'Orange Jubilee', family Bignoniaceae), it's a staple of southwestern and tropical landscapes.

Non-Stop Color in Heat

This large shrub or small tree grows 8-15 feet tall and wide, with an open, arching habit. The leaves are pinnately compound, 4-6 inches long, with serrated leaflets, bright green. The flowers are 2-3 inches long, tubular, flaring to five lobes, vivid orange, borne in terminal clusters. They appear continuously during warm weather, attracting hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. In frost-free zones, it blooms year-round.

Taxonomic Classification

Culture and Uses

'Orange Jubilee' thrives in full sun, reflected heat, and well-drained soil. It's exceptionally drought-tolerant once established and loves the hottest, driest spots where other plants fail. It's root-hardy to zone 8a (15°F)—tops may freeze but it resprouts vigorously. In colder zones, it's a fast-growing annual or container plant.

Prune hard in late winter to maintain shape and encourage flowering wood. It's used as a specimen, hedge, screen, or espalier. The related 'Gold Star' and 'Lydia' are yellow-flowered; 'Bells of Fire' is red. All are virtually pest-free and deer-resistant. A top choice for water-wise, pollinator-friendly gardens in hot climates.