Pink Trumpet Tree (Tabebuia Impetiginosa) is a beautiful ornamental flowing tree that grows nicely in the warm Florida climate.
I planted my Pink Trumpet tree as a focal point for the backyard. It’s lovely all year round. A deciduous tree, it loses its leaves briefly in the winter and early spring. Clusters of pink flower blossoms then cover the tree in the spring, delighting bees.
This year my pink trumpet tree did not lose all of its leaves when it first began to blossom. New leaves are beginning to form as the blossoms drop to the ground below.
The Pink Trumpet Tree is an interesting specimen. Indigenous South American tribes use “pau d’arco” or the bark of the trumpet tree for medicinal tea.
The pink trumpet tree should not be confused with the Angel Trumpet tree, which is also called Brugmansia. The Angel Trumpet has much larger trumpet shaped flowers that droop down. The Angel Trumpet, which is extremely poisonous, needs a lot of water, and usually dies to the ground in the winter and then emerges in the spring.
The Pink Trumpet tree can be grown as more of a shade tree. Tabebuia is a genus that includes 100 species. Other trumpet trees include the Golden Trumpet Tree. I’ve seen several Golden Trumpet Trees growing as ornamental trees in the mall parking lot.
The Pink Trumpet Trees grow in southern Florida, northern Mexico and the Caribbean islands. They are native from Mexico through Argentina. The Pink Trumpet Tree is also the national tree of Paraguay.
Plant a Pink Trumpet Tree as a focal point in a bee garden to help reverse the bee die-off. Bees buzz inside the clusters of flowers, but generally don’t bother people.
Here are a few tips for growing Pink Trumpet Tree in your Florida yard:
No. 1: Grow your Pink Trumpet Tree in the full sun. It’s a wonderful shade tree for a sunny backyard or along a sidewalk.
No. 2: Handling the Pink Trumpet Tree may cause some people to have an allergic reaction so use gloves when planting.
No. 3: Water the Pink Trumpet Tree regularly except in the winter. In the winter, if you withhold watering, the plant is more likely to lose its leaves so you can enjoy its brilliant display of pink blossoms in early spring.
No. 4: The Pink Trumpet Tree may grow to be up to 90 feet tall in the wild, but typically grows to 20 to 40 feet tall in Florida yards.
No. 5: Do not worry if your Pink Trumpet Tree does not bloom for the first year or if it blooms every other year. Sometimes the weather, such as a frost, may affect the blooms. Give the tree time to get established before expecting it to flower.
The Pink Trumpet Tree is my favorite ornamental tree. I planted a lavender/purple Trumpet Tree for a relative since I did not have any space in my own yard for another tree. The Golden Trumpet Tree, Pink Trumpet and Lavender/Purple Trumpet are each slightly different.
It’s not always easy to find a trumpet tree (Tabebuia Impetiginosa). Some nursery or garden centers confuse it with the Brugmansia or Angel Trumpet tree. But if you can find a Tabebuia tree in your area, I highly recommend it.
Related gardening articles
Coral honeysuckle
American Black Elderberry
Oregano for butterfly garden
Jatropha shrub
Firecracker plant
Firebush
Elegant zinnia review
Snake Away review
Purple passionvine
Start a community garden
Blue porterweed
Attract Monarch butterflies
Necklace Pod
Sapphire Showers
Banana Lantana
