Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Sparky Tecoma
Sparky is a compact tecoma developed in Phoenix, about half the size of Orange Jubilee at roughly 4 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide. From spring into fall it carries two-tone trumpet flowers, apricot-yellow with red-orange throats, and hummingbirds, bees and butterflies come to them. It handles full sun and the reflected heat off walls, and it needs only moderate water once rooted. Use it for color in a small bed, along a hot wall, or in a large patio pot.
Best for: hummingbird color in small beds and side yards, a low flowering row along a hot wall, and large patio pots.
Sparky gives the tecoma flower show in a size that fits small beds and side yards. It stays about half the size of Orange Jubilee. Space plants about 3 to 4 feet apart.
It thrives in full sun and the reflected heat off walls, drives and walks. Plant a row along a hot wall for flowers from spring into fall.
Its compact size suits a large pot on a patio. Use a pot with a drainage hole, and water it more often than plants in the ground.
Frost in the low 20s damages the leaves, and a hard freeze can take it to the ground until spring. It is slightly more tender than Orange Jubilee. In shade it grows lanky and flowers less, so give it full sun.
- Tight group or low row3 ft apart, center to center
- Looser group4 ft apart, center to center
Water new plants every few days, then stretch it out over about two months. Once it is rooted, soak it deeply every 1 to 2 weeks in summer and about monthly in winter.
Frost in the 20s damages the leaves, and a hard freeze can take it to the ground. Wait until frost danger passes in spring, then cut off the frozen growth.
Rolled, webbed leaves in fall come from leaf tier caterpillars. Cut off the webbed tips, and the plant handles the rest of the damage on its own.
It does not need fertilizer, though a light summer feeding can push more flowers. Skip feeding in fall and winter.
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 Sparky get?
It grows about 4 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide, about half the size of Orange Jubilee. Give it that much room in a small bed or side yard.
How fast does it grow?
It grows fast, so even a 1 gallon plant fills in within a season or two. Buy a larger size if you want color right away.
How far apart should I plant Sparky?
Plant them about 3 to 4 feet apart, center to center. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your bed.
Does Sparky attract hummingbirds?
Yes, hummingbirds come to its tube-shaped flowers, and bees and butterflies visit too. Plant it where you can watch them from a window or patio.
When does it bloom?
It flowers from spring into fall, often until the first frost. Keep it in full sun and water it through summer for the most flowers.
Can Sparky take full sun and reflected heat?
Yes, it thrives in full sun and reflected heat off walls and paving. In shade it grows lanky with fewer flowers, so give it the sunniest spot you have.
How often should I water it?
Water a new plant every few days, then stretch it out over about two months. Once rooted, soak it deeply every 1 to 2 weeks in summer and about monthly in winter.
How cold hardy is Sparky?
Frost in the low 20s damages the leaves, and it is a little more tender than Orange Jubilee. It recovers quickly in spring, and frost cloth on nights forecast in the low 20s limits the damage.
My Sparky froze. What do I do?
Leave the damage on until frost danger passes, around March, then cut back to live wood. It regrows quickly once the weather warms.
When should I prune it?
Prune once a year in early spring, after the last frost, to remove frozen growth and keep it dense. It can be cut back to about 12 inches when new growth starts.
Does it need fertilizer?
It does not need fertilizer, though a light feeding in summer can push more flowers. Skip feeding in fall and winter.
What are the rolled, webbed leaves in fall?
Those come from leaf tier caterpillars. Cut off the webbed tips, since the plant handles a lot of this damage without harm.
Where did Sparky come from?
It was bred in Phoenix by a local horticulturist as a smaller tecoma, and it is named for its gold and maroon flower colors. Grow it the same way you would grow any tecoma, in full sun.
Sparky Tecoma for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Sparky is a compact tecoma bred in Phoenix, with two-tone apricot and red flowers that hummingbirds love from spring into fall. It stays about half the size of Orange Jubilee and takes full sun and reflected heat. Below are the questions people ask most, from size and spacing to watering, frost and pruning.
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What is the difference between Sparky and Orange Jubilee?
Sparky is about half the size of Orange Jubilee, at roughly 4 to 6 feet tall, with smaller leaves and two-tone apricot and red flowers. It is also slightly more tender to frost. Pick Sparky for a small bed or side yard and Orange Jubilee for a tall screen.
How big does Sparky tecoma get?
Plan on about 4 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide. It grows fast, so a small plant fills in within a season or two.
How far apart do you plant Sparky?
Plant Sparky about 3 to 4 feet apart, center to center, for a group or low flowering row. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your bed.
Does Sparky attract hummingbirds?
Yes. Its tube-shaped flowers draw hummingbirds, bees and butterflies from spring into fall, so plant it where you can see it from a window or patio.
How often do you water Sparky in Phoenix?
Water a new plant every few days, then stretch it out over about two months. Once rooted, soak it deeply every 1 to 2 weeks in summer and about monthly in winter.
What should you do with Sparky after a freeze?
Frost in the low 20s damages the leaves, and a hard freeze can take it to the ground. Leave the damage on until March, then cut back to live wood, and it regrows quickly in spring.
Can Sparky take reflected heat?
Yes, it is one of the tecomas that thrive in reflected heat. It suits a bed along a hot wall, drive or walk in full sun.
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