TECOMA STANS: CHARACTERISTICS, HABITAT, USES, CULTIVATION - SCIENCE - 2025

Tecoma stans is a species of deciduous perennial plant with abundant flowering, belonging to the Bignoniaceae family. It is commonly known as amarguito, candelillo, pompadour, yellow flower, ash tree, sardinillo, yellow elder, trumpetilla, tronadora, vanillo or x'kanlol -maya-.

The generic designation - Tecoma - derives from the abbreviation of the Nahuatl word Tecomaxōchitl. The specific adjective - stans - comes from the Latin sto-are, steti, statum, which means erect or erect, due to the size of its inflorescences.

Tecoma stans. Source: Albert

It is grown in various habitats and climatic conditions around the world due to its high level of adaptation and rapid growth. Its abundant flowering of bright yellow colors favors its use as an ornamental plant in streets, avenues, parks and gardens.

The phytochemical analysis of the species has made it possible to determine the presence of various alkaloids, terpenoids, benzyl components, flavonoids and carbohydrates, which provide it with various properties. It is frequently used for prolonged treatment against diabetes due to its powerful hypoglycemic activity.

General characteristics

Morphology

The Tecoma stans species is a short perennial tree plant, 4-6 m tall, with a scattered and irregular canopy. The trunk is branched from the base with thin and scaly branches, the bark is greyish-brown, fibrous, rough and cleft.

The foliage is partially deciduous, in summer it lacks leaves, but it has a large number of yellow, orange and reddish flowers. The leaves are compound or odd-pinnate, 25 cm long and with 3-11 elliptical or oblong leaflets with serrated edges, pointed apex and green color.

Detail of the flowers of Tecoma stans. Source: Miwasatoshi

The inflorescences appear in terminal racemes with a 3-5 cm tubular or campanulate corolla, fragrant and with bright yellow tones. The fruit is a dehiscent capsule -sheath- 20 cm long, dark brown when ripe and with numerous seeds.

The flat seeds with whitish apex and translucent wings at the ends are 2-5 cm long by 8-10 mm wide. It is a hermaphroditic plant, since it has the female organs -pistils- and male -stamens- in the same flower.

Taxonomy

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Subkingdom: Tracheobionta
• Division: Magnoliophyta
• Class: Magnoliopsida
• Order: Lamiales
• Family: Bignoniaceae
• Tribe: Tecomeae
• Genus: Tecoma
• Species: Teoma stans (L.) Juss. ex Kunth

Chemical composition

The chemical analysis of the plant reports a large number of elements that provide it with different phytochemical properties. The leaves have the alkaloids actinidine, anthranilic acid, N-normethylskitantine, tecomanin, thecomine, techostidine, tecostanine, 4-noractinidine, boschniakine, skatole and δ-skitantin.

In the bark and wood it has tecomanin and thecomine, as well as the triterpenoids oleanic acid, oleanic acid and a-amyrin. The phenolic elements caffeic acid, salicylic acid, protocatechic acid, chlorogenic acid, vanillic acid, r-coumaric acid and gentisic acid; and the glucosides amareloside, stansioside, and plantarenaloside.

Habitat and distribution

Tecoma stans is a species adapted to the tropical and subtropical ecosystems of Central America. It is located in tropical deciduous and evergreen forests, temperate high altitude forests, xerophilous scrub and areas of the intertropical coastline.

It is located in isolation on slopes of mountains, ravines and stony places, as well as on the edge of roads, highways and boundaries. It prefers dark soils, of limestone origin, stony, sandy and with good drainage, at altitudinal levels between 200-1,500 meters above sea level.

Terminal inflorescences of Tecoma stans. Source: Auckland Museum

It develops favorably in areas with abundant rainfall, however, it adapts to dry tropical climates. In fact, it requires an average annual temperature between 23-28º C with external values ​​of 11º and 37º C, and rainfall between 1,500-5,000 mm per year.

It is a species native to Mexico and is distributed in the United States from southern Florida, including Texas and Arizona. In addition, it is located in Central America and the Caribbean, through the Andes through South America to the north of Argentina.

Applications

Carpentry

The rustic wood of Tecoma stans is used for rural construction, either as columns, support beams or furniture. The branches are used to make crates, and locally the firewood is used to obtain charcoal.

Pest control

Wood, leaves and seeds contain terpenoid alkaloids and phenolic compounds that exert insecticidal action on some pests. The application of organic insecticides based on Tecoma stans controls the incidence of the Lepidoptera noctuidae Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm).

Dehiscent fruits of Tecoma stans. Source: pixabay.com

Industrial

The root of Tecoma stans is used industrially in the manufacture of beer, as a substitute for hops.

Medicinal

The decoction of leaves and bark is used in various regions for the treatment of headaches, diabetes, dysentery, gastritis and hemorrhoids. In addition, it is useful in counteracting malaria and syphilis, as well as edema in the legs, kidney disorders and fevers.

The infusion of flowers and leaves is used as an analgesic, antidiabetic or laxative, being an excellent restorative. As for the infusion of the root, it has tonic, diuretic, antipyretic and vermifuge properties. The bark acts as a healing and antidiabetic.

Topical baths made from leaves and branches help relieve muscle and bone pain. Likewise, these washes exert anti-haemorrhoidal, febrifugal and de-dematizing actions - sores, ulcers - on the legs.

Melliferous

Tecoma stans flowers are highly prized by pollinating insects, bees and bumble bees.

Ornamental

Species widely used as an ornament in parks and gardens due to its abundant yellow inflorescences.

Culture

The candelillo is propagated by means of seeds, which are collected directly from the plant during the months of February and April. In fact, the seeds are selected from dehiscent fruits, which retain their viability for up to six months stored at room temperature.

The sowing is carried out in germination beds using a mixture of black soil and sand as a substrate. The sowing is done in furrows trying to cover the seed, maintain constant humidity and partially shaded, avoiding full sun exposure.

Candelillo plant used in gardening. Source: Adityamadhav83

In this way, germination occurs 15-40 days after sowing. Under these conditions, a germination percentage between 60-85% is obtained depending on the quality of the seed.

It is advisable to perform the peal or transplant of the seedlings 2-3 weeks after germination. Sowing is done in polyethylene bags, keeping half shade and fertilizing when the plants reach 12-15 cm in height.

The seedlings are ready for sowing in the final site when they reach 25-35 cm in height. Preferably, deep, sandy and well-drained soils are selected, located in full solar radiation; this species does not support frost.

The candelillo is a fast growing plant and spreads easily, becoming an invasive plant. At the end of the flowering periods it is advisable to carry out maintenance pruning to encourage the production of shoots and give shape to the plant.

The candelillo is a rustic plant very resistant to pests and diseases, there are only references to the attack of rust (Prospodium spp.). In greenhouses it can present root rot due to high humidity and poor drainage, or problems with mites, aphids or aphids.

References

1. Aguilar-Santamaría, L., Ramírez, G., Nicasio, P., Alegría-Reyes, C., & Herrera-Arellano, A. (2009). Antidiabetic activities of Tecoma stans (L.) Juss. ex Kunth. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 124 (2), 284-288.
2. Morton, Julia F. (1977) Some Folk-Medicine Plants of Central American Markets, Quarterly Journal of Crude Drug Research, 15: 4, 165-192.
3. Rojas-Rodríguez, F. and Torres-Córdoba, G. (2012) Candelillo (Tecoma stans (L.) Kunth). Trees of the Central Valley of Costa Rica: reproduction. Mesoamerican Forest Journal Kurú (Costa Rica). Volume 9, N ° 23. ISSN: 2215-2504.
4. Sánchez de Lorenzo-Cáceres. JM (2018) Tecoma stans (L.) Juss. Former Kunth. Ornamental Trees. Murcia City Council. Department of the Environment. 2 pp.
5. Tecoma stan. (2018) Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Recovered at: es.wikipedia.org
6. Tecoma stans (L.) Juss. ex Kunth (1819). (2015) National Forest Information System. CONAFOR National Forestry Commission. Mexico. 7 pp.