The
tabebuia
by Frida Forsberg
Pink The pink tabebuia
(pronounced tab-eh-boo-ya) is a spectacular flowering tree which bursts into candy pink blooms in late autumn, winter or early spring (depending on climate and species) and makes a stunning shade tree in small urban gardens. Also known as the pink trumpet tree, it is perfect in hot, dry climates, is drought tolerant and defies hard, dry or poor soils. It is a popular street tree in Brisbane and will grow in almost any Australian climate — even dry, inland areas — but may take longer to establish in very cold or frosty climates. Its showstopping floral displays and hardiness has made it popular in home gardens all around Australia. Even when not in flower, the tabebuia’s light grey bark and smooth, dark green leaves which spread to an attractive, domed canopy make it a highly desirable tree for any home garden. Native to Central and South America, tabebuias are well-suited to the tropics and subtropics and can handle any amount of rain and humidity through the summer. They y don’t need daily, tropicalsty style deluges to flourish, but d during a prolong drought or
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when summers are hot and dry, a deep soaking every two weeks — especially when young — will keep them in top condition.
Tabebuia is a genus comprising more than one hundred species (although only about seven of these are available in Australia) and includes varieties with white, lavender pink and vibrant, golden yellow flowers. Few look as stunning, whether in flower or not, as the pink-flowering variety. In the tropics, the tabebuia usually flowers in winter. In the subtropics, it typically flowers in late winter or early spring, but is also known to flower in autumn and spot flower through the warmer months. After the tree’s dormancy period, flowers burst into bloom over the bare branches. Once the floral display has subsided, the foliage begins to grow. The pink tabebuia is semi-deciduous and will lose its leaves as the tropical dry season (winter) approaches. Allow it to survive on natural rainfall in winter. The less water it gets during the winter, the more spectacular its spring floral display will be. Because tabebuias are deciduous, they allow warming sunlight through in winter, yet create shade in summer. The pink tabebuia is easy to grow and is affected by few pests and diseases.
To  plant  a  tab...
The pink tabebuia will grow happily in any soil that is well-drained. 1. Select a sunny site where it will have space to spread out its branches in the coming years.*
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the pot and enrich the soil from the hole with plenty of Searles Real Compost or 5IN1™ Organic Plant Food. 3. Fill the hole with water and let it drain away. (If the water takes more than 20 minutes to drain, drainage is probably insufficient. In such cases, it’s preferable to build up garden beds of enriched garden soil or Searles Garden Soil Mix and plant into the raised beds.) 4. Place the young tree in the hole, backfill with the enriched soil and press it down, gently. The soil level on the tree should sit at the same level as it did in the pot. 5. Water the plant thoroughly and apply a thick layer of Searles Mulch Plus. 6. Water every day for the first week and then every few days for the next couple of weeks. Continue to keep it moist while it is establishing and you will probably find that it grows fast. Feed it with Searles Robust in spring and again in summer. * It is recommended that trees be planted no less than three metres from buildings, footpaths or underground drain pipes.