Pink ipê

Handroanthus impetiginosus · Bignoniaceae · also Ipê-roxo, Pink trumpet tree, Pau d'arco, Lapacho, Taheebo

Brazil's most beloved flowering tree, a medium-to-large deciduous tree that drops its leaves in the dry season and explodes into pink-purple trumpet blossom before releafing. Its extremely dense, durable timber (ipê) is prized for decking, and the bark is a folk medicine. The yellow ipês (H. chrysotrichus, H. albus) are the national flower, but the pink ipê is the standard avenue tree in Brazilian cities: São Paulo state's 'Árvore amiga da cidade' guide lists it among trees for wide streets where the canopy radius exceeds 5 m. It needs little care and has no serious pests.

Broadleaf, drops leavesMedium growthSun or part shadeLow water

Wikimedia Commons, file 055_Pink_Ipê_tree_in_Mato_Grosso_Photo_by_Giles_Laurent.jpg (see file page for author and licence)

Where it stands

Native

🇦🇷 Argentina · North-west Argentinasource
🇧🇴 Boliviasource
🇧🇷 Brazilsource
🇨🇴 Colombiasource
🇨🇷 Costa Ricasource
🇬🇹 Guatemalasource
🇲🇽 Mexicosource
🇵🇪 Perusource
🇵🇾 Paraguaysource

Recommended

🇧🇷 SP, Brazil · Listed in the São Paulo state Instituto Florestal 'Árvore amiga da cidade' guide among large native species for planting where canopy radius exceeds 5 msource

Care

Plant in full sun with good drainage; stake and train to a single trunk until 1.8 to 2.5 m tall, then leave it. Water the first dry season; drought tolerant thereafter. Prune lightly after flowering to shape. No pests or diseases of major concern. Choose it for medium and wide verges, not narrow pavements.

Benefits

FlowersPollinatorsBirdsDrought tolerantShadeLong lived

Good for

Street treeparksYard shadeTimber

Watch out for

No major cautions