Silver Trumpet Tree or Yellow Tab
Tabebuia caraiba
This tree falls under the “what’s blooming now?” category. Most of you in South Florida have probably notice this tree with the beautiful yellow flowers that has been blooming for the last few weeks. Commonly referred to as the Yellow Tab, at least by me, this tree gives a spectacular burst of color in the spring. The “Silver Trumpet” common name refers to the silver color of the leaves and the trumpet shape of the flowers. Most Tabebuias, and there are many – Gold, Purple, Pink, have “trumpet” in their common name because of the flower shapes. The Yellow Tab was once planted prolifically around South Florida, it has fallen out of favor somewhat due to soft wood and the tendency to blow over. This species was introduced to Broward County, Florida by the same woman, Annie Beck, which started the first Garden Club here.
The Yellow Tab is an excellent tree for around utility lines due to the fact that it only gets to be 20 to 25 feet tall. Avoiding specimens with circling roots at the time of planting can help the tree be more wind resistant. This tree is originated from Paraguay, so it’s not native to South Florida but it hasn’t proven to be invasive.
Growth Rate – Medium
Drought Tolerance – High
Salt Tolerance – Medium
