Tecoma capensis (Thunb.) Lindl., Bignoniaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate, score: 6 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Tecomaria capensis (Thunb.) Spach

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Cape honeysucke

French: bignone, bouquet, chèvrefeuille du Cap, jasmin du Cap, técome

Hawaiian: ‘i‘iwi haole

Habit:  vine

Description:  "Vine-like shrub or shrub.  Leaves odd-pinnately compound, opposite, leaflets five to nine, blades ovate to round, 1-4 cm long with toothed margins.  Flowers continuously through the year; flowers several, borne in short terminal racemes or narrow panicles.  Corolla of fused petals, funnel-shaped, curved, 4-6 cm long, two-lipped with five oblong spreading lobes, bright orange or scarlet.  Fruit a narrow linear capsule 7-18 cm long, containing many winged seeds"  (Whistler, 2000; pp. 451-452).

"Large or small vines; leaflets 7-9, ovate to broadly elliptic, 1.5-3 cm long, acute or short-acuminate, coarsely serrate, somewhat pubescent, pilose beneath on the veins, stellate-tomentose along the costa; calyx 4-5 mm long, puberulent, costate; corolla orange-red, 4-5 cm long, glabrous, the lobes small and short; capsule linear, about 11 cm long and 8 mm broad, attenuate to each end" (Standley et al., 1974; p. 229).

Habitat/ecology:  "Cape honeysuckle thrives in wet or dry areas and prefers a well-drained, fertile soil with a pH of 5.5-6.5"  (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 189).

Propagation:  Seed.  Also reproduces from runners, rooting wherever they touch the ground (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 189).

Native range:  Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland; widely cultivated in the subtropics (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) As Tecomaria capensis (Thunb.) Spach. Voucher cited: F.R. Fosberg & M.-H. Sachet 54546 (PAP) Planted.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 253)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 23) Vouchers cited: Baumann 9877, MacKee 21114
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 51) Voucher cited: CHR 168868
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 107) Voucher cited: Yuncker 9902 (BISH)
Papua New Guinea Bismarck Archipelago	Bismarck Archipelago	introduced cultivated	Peekel, P. G. [translated by E. E. Henty] (1984) (p. 508) Introduced ornamental scandent shrub, usually kept short as a hedge-plant.

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Queensland Herbarium (2002) (p. 8)
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (pp. 257-258) Ornamental.
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 85) Cultivated only

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced cultivated	Lavergne, Christophe (2006) "Cultivé/subspontané"

Comments:  Reported occasionally naturalizing in tropical America, but not confirmed (Standley et al., 1974; p. 229).

Control:  If you know of control methods for Tecoma capensis, please let us know.