Florida gardening: Plant a purple Tabebuia for Arbor Day

J. Sterling Morton, a Nebraska newspaper editor and founder of Arbor Day said, "Other holidays repose on the past. Arbor Day proposes the future." I can’t think of a more positive way to usher in 2021 than to plant a tree. Florida celebrates Arbor Day on the third Friday of January — the 15th in 2021 — and yes indeed, it is a terrific time to plant trees. 

The benefits of trees have been often reported in this column; let’s just say for this year, trees are good and good for us. We all can use all the goodness and kindness to be found. Why not generate some beauty too by planting a tree, a flowering tree? 

One of my favorite flowering trees is purple Tabebuia or Tabebuia impetiginosa. The purple trumpet tree, also known as “tab ipe” or “purple tab” or even pink Tabebuia is a magnificent flowering tree that attracts everyone’s attention when in bloom. It is a small tree suitable for many urban and suburban uses include as a specimen, in parking lots, near patios, in containers and street side. Chose the planting location with care; due to the numerous flowers shed during blooming and the large number of subsequent seed pods, purple Tabebuia is considered a messy tree by some folks. 

Purple tab trees are showy, small trees that are briefly deciduous while flowering. The leaves are compound with five to seven leaflets arranged like the palm of the hand. The trunk has grayish bark and shallow vertical furrows. The large, showy flowers are 2 1/2 to 3 inches across held in terminal clusters. Individually, the flowers are funnel-shaped, purple to pink with a yellow throat and appear mostly in the late winter to early spring; however, a few flowers appear throughout the spring and into fall. The fruit is a 4- to 6-inch-long capsule that splits to reveal a multitude of winged seeds. 

Purple tab trees will take lower temperatures than other Tabebuias and can be planted in USDA hardiness zones 9b through 11; they will take temperatures down to about 28 degrees Fahrenheit for a few hours. This garden lovely grows 15-20 feet tall by 10-15 feet wide in full sun. Tolerant of just about any well-drained soil, Tabebuia impetiginosa is very drought tolerant, though it should be watered regularly during establishment. The trees must have a dry period during winter to induce dormancy and stimulate the production of blooms. 

Many Tabebuia species take a beating or fail during high winds and/or hurricanes; they can be uprooted or broken. The wood tends to become brittle with age, and the trees can be shallow rooted in wet or over-irrigated locations. To reduce the chance of failure during windstorms, stake Tabebuias briefly when planted, prune while young to produce strong branch connections, and do not over-water. 

Start the year off with the life-affirming, joyous act of planting a tree. Plant several — one for your space, one for a neighbor and one for a charity location, what good will and positive vibes sent out for 2021.  

Carol Cloud Bailey is a landscape counselor and horticulturist. Send questions to carol@yard-doc.com or visit www.yard-doc.com for more information.