Pink Trumpet Tree

The pink trumpet tree (Tabebuia rosea) does something very few shade trees manage. It drops its leaves for a few weeks in late winter, then covers every bare branch in soft pink trumpet flowers before the new foliage appears. In an Australian garden it settles at around 8m to 10m tall with a canopy about 5m across, so it is a genuine shade tree rather than a decorative one. It grows fast, and it is the tree people stop their cars for.

Why you'll love it

• A display you can see from the street. Bare branches smothered in pink for two to three weeks in late winter, then a clean green canopy for the rest of the year.
• Fast growing. One of the quicker ways to get real shade over a lawn or driveway in a warm garden.
• Only briefly deciduous. The leaf drop is short and tidy, so you get the flower show without months of bare tree.
• Handles heat, humidity and dry spells. Drought tolerant once established, which suits inland gardens as well as the humid coast.
• Feeds bees and birds. The flowers bring in bees, butterflies and nectar feeding birds for weeks.

Where it works best

Feature and specimen planting. Give it a lawn or wide bed where the canopy can be seen from a distance. Allow 5m of clear width and keep it 4m from a house, path or paving.

Driveways and avenues. Planted at 6m to 8m centres it makes an avenue that flowers as one. On a suburban block, a single tree is plenty.

Growing the pink trumpet tree in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, because flowering falls away sharply in shade. This is a tree for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens, including coastal New South Wales and the warmer parts of Western Australia. It is frost tender when young, so cold inland districts and cool southern gardens are not suitable.

Soil. Not fussy about type, but it wants drainage and will sulk in ground that stays wet. Break up compacted soil across a wide area rather than digging one deep hole, and mulch 75mm deep to the drip line.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers, more in a heatwave. After that it copes on rainfall in most seasons. A complete slow release fertiliser once flowering finishes supports the new flush.

Pruning. Very little. Formative pruning in the first two or three years sets a clear trunk and a well spaced framework, and that decides the shape for decades. Prune straight after flowering.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is sold as advanced stock in 45L, 100L and 400L, so you are not starting from a seedling. Even the 45L arrives as a formed tree with a clear trunk and a head of branches, and the larger sizes carry serious height on day one.

We deliver Australia wide to every state and territory. Standard delivery starts at $29.95, and advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect a quiet first season while the roots spread, then fast growth. Flowering builds with maturity, which is the best argument for buying the largest size your site allows. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse flowering trees for Australian gardens
• Compare shade and feature trees by mature size
• Preparing the ground before you plant a tree

Common questions

How big does it actually get in a garden?

Around 8m to 10m tall and about 5m wide. In its native Central and South America it can pass 25m, but that is rainforest growth over a very long time.

When does it flower?

Late winter into spring, after a short leafless period. A warm dry run in the weeks beforehand usually produces the heaviest display.

Will it grow in a cool southern garden?

It is frost tender, so cool temperate gardens are a stretch. A sheltered north facing microclimate may work in a mild coastal suburb, but in most southern gardens a hardier flowering tree is the better call.