Pink trumpet tree
Tabebuia heterophylla

Family: Bignoniaceae

What it is like

A tree. It loses many leaves during the year. It grows 15 m tall. The leaves are compound with unequal leaflets arranged like fingers on a hand. The flowers are trumpet shaped and 8 cm long. They are in clusters at the ends of the branches. The fruit are pods 30 cm long.

There are about 100 Tabebuia species in the American tropics.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It is best in full sun. It needs well drained soil. It suits hardiness zones 10-11. It is damaged by frost.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Antigua and Barbuda, Antilles, Asia, Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Caribbean, Central America, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Hawaii, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Marquesas, Myanmar, Nicaragua, North America, Pacific, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad-Tobago, USA, West Indies

How it is used for food

The leaves are used for tea.

Edible parts

Leaves - tea

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds. It can also be grown from softwood cuttings and well as air-layering and grafting.

Its other names

Local names

Corteza, Ipe, Ipe-rosa, Pau-d'arco, Peuva, Piuva, Piuva-do-campo, Piuva-do-pantanal, Piuva-roxa, Pohon tabebuya merah jambu, Pohon trompet merah jambu, Robel

Synonyms

Bignonia leucoxylon L.; Bignonia pentaphylla L.; Handroanthus pentaphyllus (L.) Mattos; Leucoxylon acuminata Raf.; Leucoxylon riparia Raf.; Raputia heterophylla DC.; Tabebuia arenicola Britton; Tabebuia beyeri Urb. & Ekman; Tabebuia brigandina Urb. & Ekman; Tabebuia camaguayensis Britton & P. Wilson; Tabebuia capotel Borhidi; Tabebuia curtissii Britton; Tabebuia dictyophylla Urb.; Tabebuia geronensis Britton; Tabebuia gonavensis Urb; Tabebuia heterophylla ssp. genuina Stehle; Tabebuia leptopoda Urb.; Tabebuia lindahlii Urb.; Tabebuia lucida Britton; Tabebuia pentaphylla (L.) Hemsl.; Tabebuia riparia (Raf.) Sandwith; Tabebuia triphylla A. DC.; Tecoma eggersii Kraenzl.; Tecoma pentaphylla Juss.; Tecoma pentaphylla (L.) DC.; Tecoma triphylla Mart. ex DC.;