Rosy Trumpet

Tabebuia rosea

A large tree capable of reaching 30 meter in its native habitat with semul-like leaf (digitately compound) that becomes conspicuous in spring with beautiful pink trumpet shaped blossoms.

Bark: Dark brown, corky, with vertical fissures

Leaf: digitately compound, 5 unequal leaflets fanning out from a long central leafstalk, middle one is largest

Flower: Bell-shaped, light pink, in dense cluster from end of the branches

Fruit: a-foot-long bean, initially green brown when ripe seeds are embedded with floss which carries it long. Usually does not fruit in Kolkata.

Season: Leaves begin to thin out in Jan, flowers from mid Feb to end Mar.

Range/habitat: Native of tropical south America, reaching Mexico & Caribbean island in north. Introduced not long back in India.

Trivia and notes: Pinkish tabebuias are rather hard to identify due to considerable variation within species and less difference between species. Pink Trumpet (Handroanthus impetiginosus) is very similar to this species.

Where to Find: In Rabindra sarovar, Kolkata. One (wrongly) labeled beside the main road near ABBA cricket ground. Silver trumpet is another Tabebuia (also found in Rabindra Sarobar) with yellow flowers. GPS: 22.51242N, 88.35493E