Tabebuia chrysotricha

Even people with no knowledge of plants can spot a Tabebuia chrysotricha (tab-eh-BOO-yuh  kriss-oh-TRICK-uh) tree a mile away when it's in bloom. At a time when most other trees are still a drab winter color, this species is a show-off. The bright yellow tubular flowers pop open before new growth emerges in the late winter to early spring. The flowers can be up to three inches in diameter.

Individual trees are variable as to whether they are fully or partially deciduous, but all of them lose more of their leaves after a cold winter. This makes the flowers more visible when they open.
Native to Brazil, they are hardy to 24°F, and grow up to 35 feet tall. They grow best in USDA Zones 9B to 11. Full sun is the preferred exposure.

Flowering starts at a young age and nurseries will often have them blooming in ten-inch pots. The flower buds, leaves, and young stems are all covered with a brown fuzz. Leaves are palmately compound.

Tabebuia chrysotricha is also sometimes known as the Golden Trumpet tree, but several other trees have similar sounding common names.