# Cape Honeysuckle (*Tecoma capensis (Thunb.) Lindl.*) Cape Honeysuckle is a vibrant flowering shrub with trumpet-shaped orange or red flowers. It attracts hummingbirds and butterflies to gardens with its sweet nectar. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Urban areas, Coastal areas - **Also known as:** Cape Tecoma, Tecoma capensis ![Cape Honeysuckle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Tecoma_capensis.JPG&width=800) Photo: Prenn, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tecoma_capensis.JPG) ## Appearance The Cape Honeysuckle has vibrant orange, trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom in clusters against glossy, dark green leaves. It grows as a scrambling shrub or vine, making it visually distinct with its cascading flower displays. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** TRACHEOPHYTA - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** LAMIALES - **Family:** BIGNONIACEAE - **Genus:** Tecoma ## Interesting facts - Despite its sweet name, Cape Honeysuckle isn't related to real honeysuckles at all! - Sunbirds love sipping nectar from its trumpet-shaped orange flowers! - This tough plant can quickly cover fences or walls, creating a vibrant, living green screen! - You can sometimes find its seeds in a papery, flattened pod that looks like a thin bean! ## Special abilities - **Climbing Grip:** Cape Honeysuckle can use its flexible stems to scramble and climb over fences or other plants, helping it reach sunlight. - **Drought Buster:** Cape Honeysuckle has tough, leathery leaves and a robust root system, helping it survive long periods with little water. - **Nectar Beacon:** Its bright orange, trumpet-shaped flowers perfectly attract nectar-feeding birds, helping the plant reproduce. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 200-500 cm - **Spread:** 200-300 cm - **Flower Size:** 4-7 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late summer to fall, year-round in warm climates - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Bird ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Lesser Double-collared Sunbird (*Nectarinia afra*) — Sips nectar, spreading pollen. - **Pollinates:** Western Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen. - **Shelter:** Cape Robin-Chat (*Turdus olivaceus*) — Finds cover in its dense foliage. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Everblooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/everblooming): Everblooming plants produce flowers continuously or in repeated flushes over a long period. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Flowers](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/flowers) - [Shrubs](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/shrubs) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Enjoy looking at Cape Honeysuckle, but avoid touching or ingesting any part of the plant. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Cape Honeysuckle? Count the petals where you can, then compare the flower's center, its symmetry, how the blooms are grouped and the leaves below. Color varies between garden varieties and shifts with the light. Flower Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Cape Honeysuckle? 200-500 cm ### How wide does Cape Honeysuckle spread? 200-300 cm ### How big are the flowers on Cape Honeysuckle? 4-7 cm ### When does Cape Honeysuckle bloom? Late summer to fall, year-round in warm climates ### Is Cape Honeysuckle edible? No ### Is Cape Honeysuckle toxic? None ### What is Cape Honeysuckle's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Marie Selby Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/marie-selby-botanical-gardens) — Florida, US · Botanical Garden ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Cape Honeysuckle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cape-honeysuckle)