This tough shrub can grace your garden with beautiful flowers for months.
Yellow bells shrubs bloom from June until frost.
With its profuse number of large trumpet-shaped blooms, yellow bells stand out in most gardens.
Denny Schrock.
Plus, the glossy green foliage makes a beautiful backdrop for other plants when not in bloom.
As they age, the plants can develop an attractive gray-brown corky bark.
Recent breeding breakthroughs have expanded yellow bells' color options to orange and red blossoms.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Breeders are also attempting to create a smaller, more compact version of yellow bells better suited to containers.
Space them about 4 feet apart when planting multiple shrubs.
Use several in a row for a stunning hedge or privacy.
These drought-tolerant shrubs do well in rock gardens and as focal points in the garden.
Florida has categorized fast-growing yellow bells shrubs as invasive in the state.
Dig a hole at least twice the size of the root ball and as deep as the container.
Loosen the soil in the hole and amend it with compost or other organic material for excellent drainage.
Place the shrub in the hole at the same depth as the container it was grown in.
Backfill with amended soil, pressing down slightly with your hands to remove any air pockets.
Light
Plant yellow bells in full sun to encourage the largest number of blooms.
That lengthy bloom time means yellow bells appreciates soil amended with organic matter.
Temperature and Humidity
Yellow bells is native in areas with hot climates and thrives in desert heat.
This tropical plant grows well in sub-humid and humid climates and tolerates low-humidity climates.
If the plant dies back completely during the winter, remove all the dead growth.
Potting and Repotting Yellow Bells
Yellow bells aren’t huge shrubs.
Use a clay pot at least a foot wide for a single shrub.
It must have drain holes to provide the necessary drainage the shrub demands.
For the best blooms, place the container in full sun from spring to fall.
The shrub is fast-growing but usually tops out at about 3 feet tall.
Repot it annually in winter, replacing the potting media and fertilizer.
Pests and Problems
Yellow bells is relatively immune to pests and wildlife damage.
It may attract a leaf skeletonizer caterpillar that attacks the leaves, inflicting cosmetic damage.
If this happens, prune the affected leaves and destroy them.
The plant tends to bounce back quickly.
If not, or the infestation is extensive, treat it with bacillus thuringiensis.
The shrub is vulnerable to root rot when it grows in soggy soil.
Good drainage is necessary to prevent this.
How to Propagate Yellow Bells
Yellow bells shrubs can be propagated by seeds or stem cuttings.
Remove the leaves from the bottom half of a cutting and dip it in rooting hormone.
Fill 4-inch pots with well-draining soil or a soilless potting mix.
Moisten the medium and make a small hole in the center.
Insert the cutting in the small hole and firm the medium around the stem.
Cover the pot with a clear plastic bag to hold in moisture.
Place the pot in a warm, bright area, but not in direct sun.
Check periodically to keep the planting medium moist.
Watch for new growth and remove the bag permanently when you see it.
Repot into a larger pot if needed.
Seed:Yellow bells blossoms are followed by long, narrow beanlike seedpods.
Let them dry on the shrub, and then crack them open to get thin papery seeds.
Add a clear plastic bag to maintain humidity and set the pots in a warm area with bright light.
Check periodically that the planting medium remains moist.
When you see growth, remove the plastic bag.
It blooms profusely and is a lovely addition to the mixed border.
Although the flowers are not fragrant, hummingbirds love them, especially the red ones.
Other pollinators include bees and butterflies.
