Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Bells of Fire
Bells of Fire is a compact Tecoma with red trumpet flowers in spring and fall that turn a deeper orange in the summer heat. It usually stays about 3 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide, much smaller than Orange Jubilee. It blooms from spring into fall and sets very few seed pods, so it keeps flowering without deadheading. Hummingbirds and butterflies come to the flowers, and it takes full sun and reflected heat.
Best for: small beds, entries and large pots, hot walls with reflected heat, spots in the light shade of a desert tree, and yards that want hummingbirds. A compact Tecoma for places where Orange Jubilee gets too big.
At about 3 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide, it fits beds, borders and entries where Orange Jubilee would outgrow the space. It also works in a large container on a patio.
It takes full sun and the reflected heat off walls and pavement. It keeps flowering through summer, when the blooms turn a deeper orange. The red comes back as the weather cools.
It takes a bit more shade than most Tecomas. It can grow in the light shade under a mesquite or palo verde, though it still flowers best in full sun.
The leaves are frost tender, and a cold winter can freeze it back, sometimes to the ground. The roots survive and it regrows in spring. Leaf-tier caterpillars can roll and web the leaves, mostly in fall.
- Hedge or border2-3 ft apart
- Single plant5 ft apart
Water new plants often, then stretch it out over about two months. Once rooted it needs low to moderate water, about every 1 to 2 weeks in summer and monthly in winter.
Leaves take frost damage and it can freeze back, but the roots survive. After frost danger passes, cut it back hard once new growth shows.
A light, all-purpose feeding helps it bloom. Heavy feeding is not needed.
In fall, leaf tier caterpillars can roll and web the leaves. Cut off the webbed tips.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does Bells of Fire get?
Usually about 3 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide. That is much smaller than Orange Jubilee, so it fits beds, entries and large pots.
How fast does it grow?
It grows at a moderate to fast pace. If a freeze knocks it back, it regrows from the roots in spring and blooms again.
What color are the flowers, and when does it bloom?
The trumpets are red in the cooler parts of spring and fall and turn a deeper orange in summer heat. It blooms from spring into fall. In a mild winter it can keep blooming until a hard frost stops it.
Does it attract hummingbirds?
Yes. Hummingbirds come to the trumpet flowers, and butterflies and other pollinators visit too.
Does it have seed pods or make a mess?
It sets very few seed pods, far fewer than Orange Jubilee. It drops its spent flowers on its own, so it keeps blooming without deadheading.
Can it take full sun and reflected heat?
Yes. It takes full sun and reflected heat off walls. It also handles a bit more shade than most Tecomas, like the light shade under a mesquite or palo verde.
How often should I water it?
Water regularly while it gets rooted. Once rooted it is drought tolerant and gets by on low to moderate water.
Can it freeze?
The leaves are frost tender, and the plant is rated to about 20°F. A cold winter can freeze it back, sometimes to the ground. The roots survive and it regrows in spring.
When should I prune it?
Wait until frost danger has passed in spring, then cut off the frost-damaged growth. If frost hit it hard, cut it back hard once new growth shows.
Does it need fertilizer?
It does not need much. A light all-purpose fertilizer now and then helps it keep blooming.
Why are the leaves rolled up with webbing?
That is the Tecoma leaf tier, a small caterpillar that rolls and webs Tecoma leaves in Arizona, mostly in fall. Cut off the webbed tips.
How does it compare with Orange Jubilee, Sparky and Sparklette?
Orange Jubilee is much bigger, often 8 to 15 feet, with orange flowers and more seed pods. Sparky stays about 4 to 5 feet with yellow flowers and a red-orange throat. Sparklette has golden flowers with a dark orange throat. Bells of Fire is the red one.
Bells of Fire for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Bells of Fire (Tecoma stans 'TEC6010916') is a compact Tecoma bred in the Phoenix area. Its trumpet flowers are red in the cooler parts of spring and fall and a deeper orange in summer, and hummingbirds come to them. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, from size and spacing to water, winter care and how it compares with other Tecomas.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
How big does Bells of Fire get?
Bells of Fire usually stays about 3 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide. It was bred to be compact, so it fits beds, entries and borders. It also works in a large pot on a patio.
Bells of Fire vs Orange Jubilee
Orange Jubilee is a much bigger Tecoma, often 8 to 15 feet tall, with orange flowers. Bells of Fire stays about 3 to 6 feet with red to orange-red flowers. It also sets far fewer seed pods, so it keeps blooming without cleanup. Orange Jubilee handles cold better.
Bells of Fire vs Sparky Tecoma
Both are compact Tecomas bred in the Phoenix area. Sparky has yellow flowers with a red-orange throat and stays about 4 to 5 feet. Bells of Fire has red flowers that turn deeper orange in summer. Pick by color and the space you have.
Why are Bells of Fire flowers orange in summer?
The color shift is normal and nothing to fix. The flowers are red in the cooler parts of spring and fall and turn a deeper orange through the hottest months. The red comes back as the weather cools.
Does Bells of Fire come back after a freeze in Phoenix?
Yes. The leaves are frost tender and a cold winter can freeze it back, sometimes to the ground, but the roots survive. Wait until frost danger has passed in spring, then cut off the damage. It regrows and blooms again.
Bells of Fire for hummingbirds
The red and orange trumpets draw hummingbirds, and butterflies and other pollinators visit too. It blooms from spring into fall, so the flowers keep coming for most of the year.
How much water does Bells of Fire need in Arizona?
Water regularly while it gets rooted. Once rooted it is drought tolerant and gets by on low to moderate water. A light all-purpose fertilizer now and then helps it keep blooming.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.