PlantFiles: Caribbean Trumpet Tree, Yellow Tabebuia, Paraguayan Trumpet Tree, Silver Trumpet Tree, Tree of Gold
Tabebuia aurea

In response to Rizard, I would like to note that we have just planted 21 large Tabebuia trees in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I am really looking forward for their bloom next season.

i live in west central Mexico and yellow tabebuias (Tabebuia donnelsmithii rose) are very common (the surname rose is confusing because the flower is yellow and there is another tabebuia with rose flowers!!). Anyway, in Mexico this tree is commonly known as Primavera (spanish for spring). I have been suggesting that somebody somewhere in the world plant about a hundred Tabebuias in each side of a big avenue, road,hill, shore,etc., so that when they bloom, you can see an overwhelming yellow explosion, something close to the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC. Is anybody out there volunteering before our planet collapses? some goverment, some business, some entrepeneur???it would be another world wonder!! Oh btw, does anybody know if you can grow them by cuttings? i tried with seed but to no avail.

I saw this tree planted along the highways and was impressed by the form of the tree, its leaves and inflorescence.
But I developed reservations since I learnt it is a deciduous tree since I wanted a flowering evergreen shade tree best suited
for our tropics. Last week, I bought 1 to try it out. It is about 3 ft in height, good healthy condition. I have
Planted it on a prominent spot in my farm. Hope it gives me good results.

i am worried about my tree due to our freezing weather.it is not yet a year old as far as being planted . it was in a 35 gallon container when put in last april. will it survive these temps in sebring florida. it is going to be 29 tonight.

I concur with dirtyshovel. This winter of 2009 almost killed my tree. Fortunately it is starting to come back, but I thought it was frozen too. I'll rate a positive because I like the tree, and it is suitable for my small front yard, but although it's sold here in the Orlando area- I bought mine at Lowe's, it's really not in the right zone. I saw lots of them in Fort Lauderdale where apparently the temperatures are better for it.

Grew my 10ft tree from a seed handed out at a garden show a few years ago. Nothing in my yard has been 'show-ier' than this yellow wonder until this winter/2009 when it completely froze. Thankfully the older Tabebuias in our Central Florida area survived and are blooming in all their glory. I would have selected Positive but for its premature death.

The very common Tabebuia seen in South Florida especially around Miami where it's one of the most common trees on city streets. The advantages of aurea over the other two common yellow species (which are more cold hardy) is sometimes having some scattered flowers during the summer. Its leafless period is also shorter. It could actually keep some leaves in warmer areas.

This Tabebuia can attain some 30' (10m) and often tends to have an asymmetrical form. Recently the University of Central Florida has planted a few adult specimens and If warm winters continue it should become a common sight around Orlando as well..As it grows the bark turns from pale to dark and develops a rough appearance. The naming of this species is often confusing, as T. Argentea and T. Caraiba is common although T. Aurea might be the standard now. Why so many synonyms is beyond me.

UPDATE: The unusually long 2010 freeze burned all the leaves off the UCF specimens. They had taken the shorter 2009 freeze just fine. Second update: As of Summer 2010 trees had recovered. However, these trees were already large (hardier) when planted

For those of you in Central Florida, I'd plant this one on the south side of the house or grow them in pots until relatively large, then put them on the ground. They do fine without much watering but water and fertilizer will speed up the growth considerably. They can get through freezes if large enough.

Tabebuia caraiba, a.k.a T.argentea; from "argentum": gold.
Seeds: held in the centre of a pair of papery-white "wings", dispersed by wind. Said to be easy to propagate from seed, but I've had no success...so far. Nursery-raised saplings begin with trunks all twisted up which start to straighten out only after the first year or more. A frustratingly slow grower! The yellow inflorescence, i must confess, can be a bit sharp on the eye, especially when viewed against bluest of blue skies!

The foliage is mostly deciduous. Some trees lose 100% of their leaves prior to blooming (best) while others can hold some of their old leaves while in flower. The tree in this photo never gets more than rainwater.

Tabebuia caraiba, Yellow Tabebuia, is a small tree from Brazil and is related to the flame vine and the jacaranda tree.
This tree blooms early in the spring in South Florida. The foliage is mostly deciduous, they hold their leaves all winter then drop them just before blooming masses of yellow trumpet shaped flowers. Cutting off all added water 6-8 weeks before spring will encourage leaf drop and produce a much heavier show of flowers. The blooms last about a month. Spent blooms fall to the ground creating a colorful carpet beneath the tree.
After being established the tree is drought tolerant and does not require special feedings.
Prefers full sun and well drained soil.