Did you know Texas has a favorite garden plant? A small shrub full of dazzling yellow flowers! That’s the Esperanza plant, fondly known as Yellow Bell.
In most parts of West Texas, it’s not uncommon to view large areas full of the Esperanza plant. The perennial shrub grows wild but is also commercially available as a container or garden plant.
A deeper look into the plant variety is necessary before you bring some home or germinate seeds.
Understanding the Esperanza Plant
Frankly, the Esperanza plant is a one-of-a-kind plant known to brighten up every area you find it. The bright yellow flowers are a sight to behold when in full bloom. The flowers resemble small yellow bells!
When the Esperanza plant flowers bloom, they hang together in clusters at the edge of every branch. Since the plant is a shrub, it’s easy for these flowers to fill it with yellow plumage. The flowers are a big attraction for insects like bees and even hummingbirds in search of nectar.
Now, people in Texas consider the plant a part of the state’s pride and joy. Many homes have these ornamental shrubs growing in the garden or on a container. Though it is a beautiful plant when flowers bloom, it’s also hardy.
The Esperanza plant can grow in dry areas with little water present. However, it prefers hot climates and dies when it gets too cold. It’s a tolerant plant that can thrive even during hot and dry summer months.
If you want to grow the plant all year long, it’s better to consider the climate. Leave it outside in the sun when it’s hot, and then winterize it when it gets too cold. If it dies when it gets cold, snip off the branches, add mulch around it, and wait for spring.
With that information in mind, you can begin the process of growing your Esperanza plants at home.
How to Grow the Esperanza Plant
Every garden or home can enjoy the striking yellow beauty when you grow the Esperanza plant. In full bloom, it’s a sight to desire. Typically, the plant can grow anywhere from 3 to 6 ft. tall. Since it’s a shrub, it’s a good option when you need a small garden fencing solution.
When the sun shines on the plant, it thrives. Flowers bloom in plenty. Therefore, while other plants prefer indirect light to grow, the Esperanza plant needs direct sunlight. Ensure it spends more time in the sunlight for it to flourish.
Once the flowers complete blooming, next the plant produces seeds during fall. You will notice numerous seedpods surrounding it. The seed pods hang vertically and are easy to access. Wait until the pods turn brown and crispy before harvesting seeds.
The good news is that you can grow numerous other plants at home with these seeds.
Gather the Seeds
Collecting Esperanza plant seeds is easy. But, it would help if you waited for late fall when the plant loses all the flowers. When the seeds are ready for harvesting, the pods split open. Place the seeds in a dry container and prepare for planting.
Prepare Planting Area
Are you considering growing the plants in containers or the garden? Whichever you pick, you must ensure the area is conducive to growing the Esperanza plant.
If you want to grow them in the garden, pick the sunniest spot. Ensure it only receives minimal shade in the afternoon.
Once you choose the spot, dig it up while removing all the debris, weeds, and stones. As for containers, pick the right ones and fill them with a germination mix.
Plant the seeds
In the garden, dig small holes on the ground and place one seed inside. The spacing for the holes must be 3 to 4 feet apart. That’s because the Esperanza plant grows as a bush and attains a width of the same measurements.
Place the seeds on the ground and cover them with a little soil. Before planting the seeds, you can add a little manure to the soil for better fertility.
At the same time, dig a small hole in all the planting containers and place one seed inside. Cover with some soil. Afterward, water the garden and the containers. Make sure you place the containers in a semi-sunny area first. You can transfer it to full sun time once the plant germinates.
Apply Mulch
After planting the seeds and watering, get some mulch to place in the garden or pot. Make sure it’s loose enough to allow the germinating seedlings to penetrate through. Since the perennial shrub likes direct sun exposure, the mulch will preserve as much moisture as possible.
After the seeds germinate, you can change the position of the mulch. Place it around the growing plant and make sure to water it often.
How to Care for the Esperanza Plant
Like many other perennials, the most crucial part of the Esperanza plant is its roots. Yes, the flowers are a sight to behold, but they die in fall.
But, if you want the same plumage next spring, you need to take good care of the root system. Only then can the plant grow back the following year and bloom.
Even after planting the seeds apart, it’s easy for the shrubs to get too close together and need reshaping. Part of caring involves deadheading.
Deadheading the Esperanza Plant
Deadheading is an important step in plant care. Since the Esperanza plant keeps growing each year, it requires proper maintenance and care. Part of that is removing all dead flowers. The excellent news is this is a simple process.
Since the Esperanza plant has lots of flowers, it’s not uncommon to find some dead. As time elapses, some are spent and die.
Deadheading these spent flowers is crucial and beneficial to the plant. Your plant will look better when you take off all the dead flowers.
Additionally, your plant can grow fewer seeds and instead become thicker. The thicker and fuller appearance is quite a lovely sight for every gardener. All you need is a pair of gloves and a few minutes to go through your Esperanza plants and deadhead each.
Once you decide to deadhead your favorite Esperanza plants, breathe in and out. The thought of damaging these amazing plants can be daunting. But, the whole process is pretty easy. If you have a large area full of Esperanza plants, start by sectioning it.
Sectioning involves dividing your garden into smaller parts that you can tackle over a certain period. That cuts the work and helps you get rid of all the dead flowers. Go through each section slowly. As long as the plant is still growing, you can deadhead at any time of the season.
Usually, flowers start to show signs of dying early. You notice each starts to lose its color. It’s easier to notice the fading on a container Esperanza plant, but this will become apparent if you spend lots of time in the garden.
But be sure to cut down on deadheading towards fall if you want some seeds. At this point, flowers give way to seed pods that start growing on the shrub.
The Process of Deadheading the Esperanza
Step 1: Pick the Right Flowers
Spend some time observing the whole yard and take note of the fading flowers. It’s easier to do a survey first, then begin working on the Esperanza plant. It would help if you had some gloves and pruning shears for this process.
Step 2: Cut the Right Spot
While deadheading can be a simple process, it’s tricky picking the right spot to cut. If you don’t cut the spent flower well, chances are you’ll be left with an unattractive plant.
So, it’s better to cut or pluck the flower at the edge. This removes the whole flower and leaves a good area for new plumage to form.
Step 3: Clean Up
After deadheading all the spent flowers from the Esperanza plant, it’s best to dispose of them. Since the whole point is cleaning up the plant, leaving the flowers down can be pretty unattractive.
Collect them and add them to your compost hip to form manure to add to your growing soil later.
Step 4: Add Fertilizer
Once you finish the process, add some fertilizer or compost manure to the soil. It allows more flowers to grow on the Esperanza plant.
Once the plant grows and fills the whole garden, it’s time to divide.
Dividing the Esperanza Plant
Many gardeners love perennials such as the Esperanza plant. Each year, the plants bloom and bring the garden to life. But, you start to notice a few changes after some time. It’s normal for the plant to start generating smaller blooms or even have bald spots.
When this happens, you can start the dividing process. Dividing is the answer when you need to rejuvenate the plant to produce better growth each year. Since there are too many plants in one area, it’s common for them to compete over water and nutrients in the soil.
That’s why you need to divide the plants, which allows for better airflow. Not to mention there’s less competition over resources.
8 Tips to Help You Divide the Esperanza Plant Better
1. Time Dividing
Divide the Esperanza plant when it’s looking amazing but has few or no flowers. You might want to wait until it shows signs of poor growth. But, by then, it might be too late.
Begin the process when you notice the shrubs are too full but are still looking good.
2. Search for the Roots
Before you start dividing the Esperanza plant, find the roots. Usually, they extend away from the plant, which means you can start digging a few inches from the plant. Once you trace the roots, you can dig a trench around the plant and sever all roots heading outward.
3. Avoid Dividing during Hot Days
Do you want a successful Esperanza plant dividing? Then it’s better to wait until it’s cooler outside, but the ground is still warm. That helps the plants take up easily in a new area. Such conditions form the perfect environment for roots to start growing.
4. Fertilize the Soil
Pick an area to plant the divisions and clean it out. Afterward, fertilize with some composted manure. That adds more nutrients into the soil that the Esperanza plant roots will need to start growing once more.
5. Smaller Sections
After dividing the Esperanza shrubs, plant smaller sections. Smaller sections find it easier to start growing. That way, you get durable blooms that last for a long time.
6. Avoid Blooming Plants
Are you thinking about dividing your Esperanza plants? It’s better to wait until the flowers stop blooming. The right time to divide is late fall as seeds form or spring when the plants grow again.
7. Healthy Plants only
Once you divide the Esperanza plants, it’s not uncommon to notice some aren’t healthy. Throw these away and plant the healthy ones. Also, get rid of any plants with signs of pests or diseases.
8. Good Spacing
Make sure every new Esperanza plant division has ample spacing. The best way is to note the width of the root system. Ample spacing gives the plant enough room to grow and bear healthy blooms every year.
Winterizing the Esperanza Plant
Once fall is in the air, you know winter isn’t that far off. Therefore, it’s crucial to winterize the Esperanza plant. When you put the plants to bed properly, you’ll receive a reward in spring. For the potted Esperanza plant, you can bring it indoors and place it under growing lights.
But, the garden is another matter. You need to:
- Stop feeding the plant. Since you don’t want any new growth, cease fertilizing the plant when seeds form in the fall.
- Continue deadheading the plant and make sure you don’t leave any at the base of the plant. Keep this area clean as winter approaches.
- Once fall comes, and all the flowers are spent, apply some mulch on the plant.
- Water the Esperanza plant until the time the ground is completely frozen. The water helps the plants during the harsh winter months.
Summing Up
The Esperanza plant is a perennial shrub that can turn your garden into an amazing sight. The good news is this is a hardy plant that enjoys hot climates. However, you can grow it during spring and summer.
Since it’s not a big fan of the cold, it dies off until spring.
