Cape Honeysuckle

Tecoma capensis

Family: BignoniaceaeZones: 9-11; leaves and branches die back at 25 degrees F or lower

Invasive: High Invasion Risk, not recommended by IFAS
Hummingbird-attracting bloom (per trade sources, not UF/IFAS-cited)

Pet & Human Safety

People: No hazard foundPets: Not on the ASPCA lists as we read them

Hazardous parts

Not yet checked.

Preparation

Not applicable: ornamental flowering shrub, not a food crop, and no human-toxicity source was found for it in the sources checked.

Hazard type

Not yet checked.

Hazard route

Not applicable: no sourced human-toxicity finding.

How complete this information is

The safety information on this page is partial. Where a source covers a point, it is shown; where none does, the page says so.

Toxic to pets

No ASPCA entry found.

No ASPCA pet-toxicity entry and no human-poisoning source were found for this species under any name checked. See the naming warning above: this is not the same plant as PlotAndPetal's true-Lonicera coral honeysuckle guide, and the two should not be treated as sharing a toxicity record.

PlotAndPetal cannot tell you whether a plant you found can be eaten. Only someone who can see the plant can identify it.

Look-alike warning

Could be mistaken for Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens, PlotAndPetal's separate, Florida-native true-honeysuckle entry). To tell them apart: Family: this plant (Tecoma capensis, family Bignoniaceae) is not a true honeysuckle at all, despite the name; coral honeysuckle is a true Lonicera in Caprifoliaceae. Check the botanical name rather than the common name.. Don't conflate the two plants' care information or apply one's ASPCA/invasive-status findings to the other: they are unrelated species with separate, unrelated records.

Poison control

If someone has collapsed, cannot be woken, is having a seizure or has trouble breathing, call 911 now. For any other possible poisoning, call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.

Emergency number source: U.S. federal law (47 U.S.C. § 251(e)(3)), read 2026-10-07.

Naturalist Lore

Historical Background & Breeding Lore

The history of this plant and its name, and how it was bred, where we have them.

Get the app: coming soon

Care

Hardiness zones: USDA Zones 9-11; leaves and branches die back at 25 degrees F or lower.
Mature size: Grows as a shrub or scrambling vine; specific mature dimensions not detailed in the sources checked for this guide.
Where it comes from: Southern Africa: specifically Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mozambique, Mpumalanga, South Africa, and Swaziland.

Soil & Drainage

Pruning & Flush Rhythm

Feeding Schedule

How to prepare the soil, when and what to feed, and how and when to prune where that applies.

Get the app: coming soon