My neighbour’s small tree or shrub Tecoma Alata(?) seems to grow anywhere, after I placed black plastic over my side of the fence to reduce weeding, while I prepare to mulch the strip of 50 feet by 3 feet on my side of the lot. Orange doesn’t appeal to me, and seems to clash with my vibrant purple phlox which seem to glow as the sun sets.
It’s about 12 feet high, and 6 feet around, and in full sun through the chain link fence on the north part of the fence separating our properties, in Toronto’s west end, with very few blooms.
Aside from the labour of weeding and snipping branches, is there any way to keep this plant, or any plant, from taking over my garden, while the neighbour is away, since this plant needs little attention, and I only have a chain link fence between us?
I’ve attached a bloomed bell shape flower from the plant for your confirmation.
thank you
Thank you for reaching out to the Toronto Master Gardeners for advice on your neighbour’s shrub. Tecoma alata also known as Orange jubilee is an aggressive fast-growing shrub, but this shrub is typically not hardy in Ontario. It is only hardy to Zone 8. Could you have this plant confused with Trumpet vine? (Campsis radicans) Trumpet Vine is a fast growing perennial vine, typically not seen as a shrub as your photo suggests.
I am sending you a link to descriptions of Campsis radicans to see if you can confirm that this is indeed the plant. I am also sending a link from a Master Gardener with suggestions as to its control.
It is important first to know precisely what plant you are dealing with before you can control it.
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=cara2
https://www.torontomastergardeners.ca/wp-admin/post.php?post=22694&action=edit