Tabebuia chrysotrichaGolden Trumpet Tree

For a few weeks in late winter Tabebuia chrysotricha drops its leaves and covers itself in golden-yellow trumpets, and the Golden Trumpet Tree becomes the loudest thing on a street. The rest of the year it is a quiet, well-behaved small tree with palmate leaves felted grey-green beneath.

It is planted as a street and avenue tree, a park feature and a courtyard specimen, and its modest final size makes it usable where a larger flowering tree would not fit.

Specifications

• Height6 to 10 metres
• Width5 to 8 metres
• Native toSouthern Brazil
• FoliagePalmate leaves of five leaflets, felted grey-green beneath; deciduous before flowering
• Growth rateModerate

Conditions

• SoilPrefers well-drained soils and tolerates poor and sandy ground
• LightFull sun
• WaterLow to moderate; drought-tolerant once established
• ClimateThrives in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions and tolerates coastal exposure

Additional Features

• FlowersA mass of golden-yellow trumpet flowers on bare branches in late winter and spring
• UsesIdeal for street and avenue planting, park features, courtyards and coastal gardens
• SpacingPlant 6 to 8 metres apart for avenue work
• Low MaintenanceFormative pruning only; the crown is naturally compact and well shaped
• Pest ResistanceGenerally robust and free of significant problems
• Drought ToleranceFlowers reliably on limited water once established
• Wildlife AttractionThe flowering flush is a major nectar source for bees and birds
• Seasonal AppealA short, intense golden flowering on bare wood, followed by clean summer foliage

The Golden Trumpet Tree delivers a full flowering event on a frame small enough for a street, which is a rare combination.