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Roger's Tree Pick for March: Tabebuia

Tabebuia (pronounced “tab-eh-boo-ee-uh”), a group of plants with about 100 species of small- to large-sized trees, are related to the blue flowering Jacaranda trees that are splashed throughout the southland.

The name Tabebuia is derived from the South American Indian name for these trees: “Tacybabebuya.” Their geographic range is very large and they are found growing in the wilds of Mexico through Colombia, Argentina and Brazil. A few species also grow in the Antilles, Haiti and Cuba.

These trees are in the Bignoniaceae family, which also has many colorful vines and shrubs. The two main species that can be found locally in nurseries are Tabebuia chrysotrihcha and Tabebuia impetiginosa.

Tabebuia chrysotrihcha, called the Golden Trumpet tree, is very notable for its bright golden yellow trumpet-like flowers borne in showy clusters from March to April.

Because of its airy, open crown that provides excellent shade and the fact that the tree is recognized as pest- and disease-resistant, Tabebuia chrysotrihcha is well adapted to various uses in the small home garden and the landscape both inland and along the coastal belt of California.

The Golden Trumpet tree is a briefly deciduous tree that grows fairly slowly to 25 feet tall and has a canopy spread of about 20 feet. This tree loves sunshine and can tolerate heat and is cold-hardy into the high 20s in the winter. It grows best with regular watering and fertilizing and is drought-tolerant once established, which sometimes can mean from three to five years after it is in the ground getting established.

In late winter or early spring, the leaves drop just before flowering, when a blaze of large yellow clusters three to four inches long can cover the canopy for four to six weeks, depending on the climatic conditions. This year, February rains pounded the trees’ blossoms and it was a short flowering season.

After the flowers are finished they produce long brown, fuzzy seed-pods, similar to long string beans, that can dangle for months on the tree before they shatter and their thin flake seeds are blown by the winds. I have had several volunteer seedlings sprout in my own garden from the mother tree.

Tabebuia impetiginosa, the Pink Flowering Tabebuia — sometimes called “Ipe,” which is easier for some to pronounce — is a fabulous springtime flowering tree. It is an intense shade of deep pink and a few color variants of darker pinks to lavender. This is the time of year to go scouting for these trees to look for the variations of colors.

This species of Tabebuia is native to Argentina and Brazil and is an outstanding small tree for our gardens. It has wonderful branching structure and is good as a small background round-headed tree in the landscape. Due to its shedding of leaves it is not recommended around pools or patios, but it will be a delightful tree to compliment any garden design or landscape theme.

All Tabebuias like a well-drained soil and are not recommended for clay soil types or wet bottom areas of the garden. Most trees, in general, do not like their tootsies (roots) standing in water.

As the Tabebuia tree matures with age, so will the amount of flowers increase each year, but you should be able to find young trees in 15-gallon containers in bloom.

It was the Los Angeles and State Arboretum in Arcadia that first introduced these flowering gems to this country back in the early ’60s. Dr. Sam Ayres played

a large role in working with the arboretum in introducing many of the flowering trees that we can enjoy in our gardens today. I sat on the board of directors of the Southern California Institute for some years with Sam and learned a great deal about trees. His exposure is one of the factors that lead to my passion for trees from around the world. Thanks, Sam.

There have been some hybrid selections made of these trees over the years and the arboretum has come up with a few grafted varieties. One of those is called “Pink Cloud,” which boasts rose-pink/apricot-colored blossoms. There is a Pink Cloud growing in my garden here in Fallbrook and it is turning out to be a small and dainty tree in its overall architecture.

Some of these tree selections go on sale at various plant sales like the Arboretum or the Huntington Garden sale. For the serious plant collector you need to attend one of these plant sales to see the best of the best, and it’s worth the trip.

The specie Tabebuia “Ipe” is also known by native tribes in the Amazon region as “Pau d’arco.” It has a long and well-documented history of use by the indigenous peoples of the rainforest. Indications imply that its use may actually predate the Incas. This Tabebuia has many valuable herbal and medicinal qualities and has been used for treatment out in the jungles for ulcers, diabetes, colds, flu, circulation disturbances, constipation, skin dermatitis, leukemia, liver diseases, and lupus, to name a few.

Sadly, so many of these natural botanical remedies that have been used for centuries by indigenous people are now being lost to massive forest logging, oil exploration, farming and urbanization and are not being sustained for the future.

It has been noted that the tropical rainforest of South America is a botanical medicine cabinet for hundred of aliments, though they are now being lost and becoming extinct as well.

So maybe I’ll just plant a few more Tabebuias in my garden, and perhaps some hundred years from now some young research botanical student might come along and see these flowering trees on my hillside and ask, “Why have we lost these tree species in the wilds and why do a few of these medicinal wonders grow on a hillside here in Fallbrook?”

California celebrates Arbor Day here in California from March 7-14, so go out and plant a tree or two for the good of your garden, the community and the earth.

“Every tree of every tomorrow is in the seeds of today.”

Roger Boddaert can be reached at (760) 728-4297.

 

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