Brisbane tree guide

Pink trumpet tree

Handroanthus impetiginosus · also called Pink tabebuia, Tabebuia

The pink trumpet tree is a deciduous tree from the Americas that drops its leaves over winter and then covers its bare branches in pink, trumpet-shaped flowers with yellow throats, usually from September. Brisbane City Council lists it as a street tree that grows 10 to 12 metres with a medium crown, and trumpet trees are a popular sight in Brisbane gardens and streets.

Exotic
10 to 12 m tall
Flowers September to February

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Pink trumpet tree, from Wikimedia Commons — Photo: Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Pink trumpet tree at a glance

Height: 10 to 12 m
Leaves: Deciduous
Flowers: Pink, September to February
Origin: The Americas, from northern Mexico to Argentina
Power lines: Not on the council's list for under power lines
Family: Bignoniaceae

How to identify a pink trumpet tree

Over winter the pink trumpet tree loses most of its leaves, and from about September the bare crown bursts into clusters of pink, trumpet-shaped flowers up to 6 cm long, usually with a yellow throat. The new leaves follow the flowers. Each leaf has about five oval leaflets fanning out from the tip of the stalk, like fingers on a hand, and the leaves sit in opposite pairs. Long, thin pods 40 cm or more in length hang on after flowering. The golden trumpet tree is a close relative with golden yellow flowers.

Growing a pink trumpet tree in Brisbane

Trumpet trees are a familiar sight in Brisbane gardens and streets, and they handle the light frosts Brisbane can get. Brisbane City Council's street tree list includes the pink trumpet tree in four precincts, including arterial roads, at 10 to 12 metres with a medium crown. Council uses it on verges at least 2.5 metres wide and not under power lines. Plant it in full sun, and leave room for a tree almost the size of a jacaranda. A dry winter helps, as a wet one can mean fewer flowers.

Pruning and care

Water young trees regularly while they establish. In hot, dry summers, give established trees a deep soak about once a fortnight, but leave winter watering to the rain while the tree is bare, because a wet winter can lead to a poorer flower display. Plant in full sun. If pruning is needed, do it after flowering and keep cuts light, removing dead, damaged or crossing branches. Large limbs are a job for a qualified arborist with the right gear.

Pink trumpet tree: your questions

Short answers, from the sources below.

Back to the tree guide

When does the pink trumpet tree flower in Brisbane?

It usually starts flowering in September, on bare branches after dropping its leaves over winter. Brisbane City Council's street tree list gives spring to summer as its flowering season.

How big does a pink trumpet tree grow?

Brisbane City Council's street tree list gives 10 to 12 metres with a medium crown. PlantNET records the species growing to about 15 metres.

Is the pink trumpet tree deciduous?

Yes. It loses its leaves over winter, flowers on the bare branches from early spring, and then grows a new set of leaves.

Is the pink trumpet tree a weed in Brisbane?

It is not on Brisbane City Council's weed list. Its yellow-flowered relative, the golden trumpet tree, is on that list for information, with no legal declaration.