Grower Facts

Tecoma Mayan Gold

Germination
Sow coated seed in 288, 200 or larger liners. In Europe, 264-cell trays can be used. Cover moderately to heavily with vermiculite to maintain media moisture.
Note: While the seed coat sometimes remains on the young seedlings, it will eventually fall off and will not affect the growth rate of the seedlings.

Germination - takes 3 to 5 day
Soil temperature: 68 to 74°F (20 to 23°C)
Light: Light is optional.
Moisture: Keep soil wet (level 4) during Stage 1.
Humidity: Maintain 95%+ relative humidity (RH) until radicles emerge.

Plug Production
Media
Use a well-drained, disease-free, soilless media with a pH of 5.8 to 6.2 and a medium initial nutrient charge (EC 0.75 mmhos/cm).

Sowing
Sow coated seed in 288, 200 or larger liners. In Europe, 264-cell trays can be used. Cover moderately to heavily with vermiculite to maintain media moisture. Note: While the seed coat sometimes remains on the young seedlings, it will eventually fall off and will not affect the growth rate of the seedlings.

Stage 1 – Germinations takes 3 to 5 days
Soil temperature: 68 to 74°F (20 to 23°C)
Light: Light is optional.
Moisture: Keep soil wet (level 4) during Stage 1.
Humidity: Maintain 95%+ relative humidity (RH) until radicles emerge.

Stage 2
Soil temperature: 72 to 75°F (21 to 24°C)
Light: Up to 2,500 f.c. (26,900 Lux)
Moisture: Reduce soil moisture slightly (level 3 to 4) to allow the roots to penetrate into the media. Do not allow the medium to dry out.
Fertilizer: Apply fertilizer at rate 1 (less than 100 ppm N/less than 0.7 mS/cm EC) from nitrate-form fertilizers with low phosphorous.

Stage 3
Soil temperature: 68 to 72°F (20 to 22°C)
Light: Up to 2,500 f.c. (26,900 Lux)
Moisture: Allow media to dry further until the surface becomes light brown (level 2) before watering. Keep the moisture to wet-dry cycle (moisture level 4 to 2).
Fertilizer: Increase fertilizer to rate 2 (100 to 175 ppm N/0.7 to 1.2 mS/cm EC). If growth is slow, apply a balanced ammonium and nitrate-form fertilizer with every other fertilization. Maintain medium pH of 5.8 to 6.2 and EC between 1.0 and 1.5 mS/cm (1:2 extraction).
Growth Regulators: Not needed.

Stage 4
Soil temperature: 65 to 68°F (18 to 20°C)
Light: Up to 5,000 f.c. (53,800 Lux) if temperature can be controlled.
Moisture: Same as Stage 3.
Fertilizer: Same as Stage 3.

Growing On to Finish
Container Size
4.5-in. (11-cm) square pots: 1 plant per pot
6-in. (15-cm) or gallon pots: 3 plants per pot

Media
Use a well-drained, disease-free, soilless media with a pH of 5.5 to 6.2 and a medium initial nutrient charge (EC 0.75 mmhos/cm).

Temperature
Nights: 65 to 68°F (18 to 20°C)
Days: 68 to 75°F (20 to 24°C)

Light
Maintain light levels as high as possible. Under lowlight and short-day conditions, the flower cluster may develop slowly or abort.

Photoperiod
Mayan Gold is a facultative long-day plant that flowers faster and more uniformly at daylengths of 14 hours or longer. Flowering will be delayed about 3 weeks when grown at daylengths of 12 hours or shorter. Light levels can interactively affect Tecoma daylength sensitivity. Under high light conditions, plant flowering may require shorter daylength.

Irrigation
Avoid both excessive watering and drought.

Fertilizer
Starting 1 week after transplant, apply fertilizer at rate 3 (175 to 225 ppm N/1.2 to 1.5 mS/cm) using predominately nitrate-form fertilizer with low phosphorus and high potassium. Maintain the media EC at 1.5 to 2.0 mS/cm and pH at 6.0 to 6.5. For constant fertilizer program, can apply fertilizer at rate 2 (100 to 175 ppm N or 0.7 to 1.2 mS/cm) while maintaining the above recommended EC and pH ranges.

Growth Regulators
Plants respond well to a tank mix of B-Nine and Cycocel. Apply B-Nine/Alar (daminozide) 2,500 ppm (3.0 g/l 85% formulation or 4.0 g/l of 64% formulation) mixed with Cycocel (chlormequat) 1,000 ppm (8.5 ml/l 11.8% formulation or 1.3 g/l of 75% formulation). Spray every other week starting 2 to 3 weeks after transplanting. Do not use Bonzi as drench or spray because it will make the plant softer and floppy.

In northern Europe conditions: Use 3,200 ppm Alar (3.8 g/l 85% formulation or 5.0 g/l of 64% formulation) mixed with 375 ppm Cycocel (3.2 ml/l 11.8% formulation or 0.5 g/l of 75% formulation).

Pinching
Mayan Gold Tecoma does not branch until after flower bud emergence. Pinching will promote branching but delays flowering. Due to strong apical dominance, if pinched, a hard pinch is recommended and pinching typically results in only 2 branches. Be sure to leave 2 or more nodes below the pinch. The earlier the pinch is done, the less delay in flower time.

Spacing
Space plants when foliage is touching.

Container Size
4.5 to 5-in. (11 to 12-cm) pot: 1 plant per pot
6-in. (15-cm) pot: 3 plants per pot
1-gallon (18-cm) pot: 3 plants per pot
Crop Scheduling
Sow to transplant (288 cell plug): 5 to 6 weeks
Transplant to flower: 7 to 10 weeks

Common Problems
Insect: Watch for Aphids and Spider Mites, especially during Summer production.
Disease: None.
Note: Growers should use the information presented here as a starting point. Crop times will vary depending on the climate, location, time of year, and greenhouse environmental conditions. Chemical and PGR recommendations are only guidelines. It is the responsibility of the applicator to read and follow all the current label directions for the specific chemical being used in accordance with all regulations.

Green Thumb Tips
- Mayan Gold Tecoma is very heat and droughttolerant once established.
- Plant in full sun after all danger of frost is past.
- Acts as an annual in USDA Hardiness Zone 7a (0° F/-18°C minimum temperature) and colder. Will grow to a small shrub in Zone 8b (15°F/-9°C minimum temperature) and warmer. Will be a root hardy perennial in Zones 7b and 8a (5 to 10°F/ -15 to -12°C minimum temperatures).
- Space plants 12 to 18 in. (30 to 45 cm) apart in well-drained soil.
- Attracts hummingbirds.
- Mature height is 24 to 36 in. (60 to 90 cm); can be grown into a small shrub in warm climates where it winters over (up to 8 ft./2.4 m at maturity). Spread is 21 to 23 in. (52 to 58 cm)