Kampala Tree and Palm Directory

Tree Species
Common Name
Tree Description
Tree Uses

English: Pink poui, rosy trumpet tree.

+ Tree Species

Tabebuia pentaphylla (T. rosea)

+ Tree Family

Bignoniaceae

+ Ecology

Tabebuia pentaphylla is native to Central and South America and is popularly planted along roadsides and as a garden ornamental plant.One of about 75 Tabebuia all with spectacular trumpet flowers, some with valuable timber. They grow rapidly in deep rich soil and flower when quite young. In Uganda, this species is common in gardens in Kampala as well as along streets and near public buildings. It is also cultivated in some smaller towns such as Mityana. In Kampala, Pink poui can be found within KCCA headquarters, Uganda Golf course club, Kitante courts, Makerere University, Makerere II Zone C, along Buganda road, Jinja road among other places.

+ Description

A small deciduous tree to 5 m, flat topped or spreading, well branched and branching low down.

BARK: grey-brown, wide shallow fissures, fairly smooth but rougher at the base with small flutes.

LEAVES: larger, over 7 cm and on a stalk to 3 cm, leafletoval, pointed, looped veins.

FLOWERS: large loose heads of palepink flowers, trumpet shaped, about 6 cm long, the 5 lobes witha frilly edge and 4 stamens at the base of the tube. Flowersproduced in profusion more than once a year.

FRUIT: smallwoody follicles which split on one side to set free very smallwinged seeds.

+ Uses

Provides firewood.

Ornamental plant.

Provides timber which is used for construction and furniture.

Agroforestry: provide shade to both humans and crops (coffee and cocoa plantations).

+ Propagation

Seed, cuttings, Air layering.

+ Management

Lopping, coppicing, pollarding

+ Remarks

Though introduced to the Entebbe Botanical Gardens a long time ago, it has only recently become popular. Trees can be pollarded for firewood. The tree flowers twice a year; once when it is bare and once when it is in leaf.



Development partners