TABEBUIA pendula (Pink Trumpet Tree)

The Pink Trumpet Tree (Tabebuia pendula) is bought for one thing: the fortnight each year when the bare branches carry nothing but trumpets of pink flower. It settles at around 8m tall and 6m wide with a soft weeping habit, so it reads as a graceful feature rather than a heavy shade tree. This listing is advanced ex ground stock: a mature specimen, not a young tree in a pot.

Why you'll love it

• A flowering display nothing else matches. Warm pink trumpets cover the whole canopy while the tree is leafless, so the colour is uninterrupted.
• Weeping form all year. Even out of flower the arching branches give the tree a soft outline that suits front gardens and entries.
• Feeds bees, butterflies and birds. The flowers are nectar rich and become a genuine hub of activity while they last.
• Copes with heat and dry spells. Drought and heat tolerance make it dependable through a hard Australian summer once established.

Where it works best

Feature tree. Give it a position you look at from the house or the street, ideally against a plain wall or open sky where the flowering reads clearly.

Shade tree for a lawn. The canopy is open rather than dense, giving comfortable dappled shade over a seating area without killing the grass beneath.

Driveways and avenues. Spaced 8m apart in a line, the weeping canopies overlap into a flowering corridor. Allow for the full 6m width before you commit to spacing.

Growing Pink Trumpet Tree in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, with shelter from strong wind while young. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It is frost tender, so cold inland and southern districts are unsuitable.

Soil. Free draining soil is important. On clay, plant high on a mound with compost worked through a wide bed rather than a narrow hole. Mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep weekly soaks through the first two summers, then only through extended dry weather. Feed in early spring with a controlled release fertiliser. Withholding water in late winter often sharpens the flowering display.

Pruning. Prune immediately after flowering, not before, or you remove next season's display. Limit it to shaping and removing crossing limbs, since the natural weeping form is the point.

What to expect when it arrives

This is sold as a single advanced ex ground specimen, not in pot sizes. The tree is field grown and lifted with a root ball, so it arrives mature, with trunk calliper and canopy already developed. Ex ground stock needs a prepared hole and, in most cases, machinery on site to place it.

Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and plants are delivered Australia wide with a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Expect a settling period of one to two seasons while the root system rebuilds, and light or no flowering in the first year. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse advanced ex ground trees
• Compare flowering trees
• Choosing a feature tree for a front garden
• Establishing a transplanted advanced tree

Common questions

What does ex ground actually mean?

The tree was grown in the field rather than a pot, then lifted with its root ball for transport. You get far more size and trunk for the money, in exchange for a heavier tree and a longer establishment period.

When does it flower?

Late winter into spring, on bare branches, and the peak display usually lasts two to three weeks. Timing shifts with your climate and with how dry the preceding weeks were.

Will it survive frost?

No. It is frost tender and should not be planted where frosts are regular. Tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens are where it performs.

How much room does it need?

Plan for roughly 8m tall by 6m wide at maturity, and keep it at least 5m from the house. The weeping branches sweep low, so allow clearance over paths and driveways.