Yellow bells (Tecoma stans): names, uses, safety

Yellow bells, Tecoma stans, is the shrub of bright yellow trumpet flowers that lines Indian road medians and compound walls almost all year. It comes from the Americas, and it is tough, drought-proof and pretty. It also seeds itself readily, and in dry country it can escape into scrubland as a weed.

Botanical name: Tecoma stans (L.) Juss. ex Kunth
Family: Bignoniaceae
Tamil: Manjalarali
Hindi: Piliya
Parts used: Flowers (ornament)
Habit: Yellow trumpet hedge; arali is a shop word
Last updated: 2026-10-25

How to recognise Yellow bells

The flowers are clear yellow trumpets, about five centimetres long, faintly striped inside the throat, in clusters at the branch tips. They are a magnet for sunbirds and bees.

Leaves are pinnate, with five to thirteen toothed, pointed leaflets. That separates it at a glance from the yellow oleander, Cascabela thevetia, which has narrow, glossy, single leaves.

After flowering it carries long, thin, bean-like capsules that split to release papery winged seeds. Those seeds blow far, which is how it spreads.

It is the national flower of the Bahamas, where it is called yellow elder.

Traditional use of Yellow bells

Gardening

In India it is planted almost entirely as an ornamental: a hedge, a median shrub, a quick screen. It needs little water once established.

Indian hedge planting

Mexican folk practice

In its native range the leaves have a long folk history as a tea. That tradition has not been confirmed by good clinical trials.

Mexican ethnobotany

Modern notes on Yellow bells

Laboratory and animal studies of the leaf have looked at blood sugar, prompted by the Mexican tradition. Human evidence is thin, so it should not be used in place of diabetes care.

Yellow bells safety

Treat it as an ornamental. Do not drink leaf preparations, particularly if you take diabetes medicines.

Ecology and sourcing

It is listed as invasive in parts of Africa, Australia and the Pacific, and has naturalised widely in dry parts of India.

If you grow it, deadhead it or remove the seed pods before they split, and choose native flowering shrubs near forest and grassland edges.

Related plants

Also in Bignoniaceae

Questions about Yellow bells

Is Yellow bells arali?

No. Arali is oleander (Nerium) and yellow oleander (Cascabela). Those are poisonous and have simple leaves.

Is Yellow bells weedy?

It can be. The winged seeds spread it into dry scrub.

What is the Hindi name of Tecoma stans?

Piliya.

Sources

Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.