There is no one who isn’t enamoured by flowers or trees. They have such an appealing charm and beauty that we can’t help but admire them, whether it’s for their size and magnitude, the heady perfume, how bright and colourful they are or for the innumerable benefits they have to mankind.

The Rosy Tree:

Tabebuia rosea, popularly also known as Pink Poui, and rosy trumpet tree is a neotropical tree that grows up to 30 metres and can reach a diameter at breast height of up to 100 cms. It is a deciduous tree with a rounded or spreading crown.

Origin and its Spread:

Tabebuia Rosea is considered to be one of the most important timber trees of Central America. It’s range varies from Northern America – Columbia, Ecuador, Venezuela; north to the Caribbean and through Central America to Mexico.

Mostly, found in abundance on the Pacific plains, it thrives well in moist or rather dry forests, often in open fields or along roadsides.

Cultivation and Propagation:

This tree is of moist tropical nature and is found at elevations from 100 – 1,200 metres. The tree grows well in fertile soils and sunny areas. A sheltered position is preferred as the branches break easily due to strong winds.The annual  wood production estimate is 10-20 metric tonnes per hectare.

Asthetic Value:

This timber tree is usually harvested from the wild and used for multiple purposes. It equals in beauty to certain Central American trees when in full bloom. It blossoms when leafless and appears like a big beautiful bouquet of flowers. The colours vary from deep rose to purple to white.

Uses:

This tree like most other trees, comes with its own advantages and benefits to mankind. Below are its uses in different categories:

Commercial:

The colour of the wood of the Tabebuia Rosea is a dull greyish brown with fine stripes of dark deep brown. The pattern is often conspicuous and easily identifiable. There is no particular taste or odour found in the tree, however the grain can be wavy at times. The wood is usually soft and light weight as opposed to hard or heavy. This makes it easy to work with and is also fairly durable. It is an excellent timber, seasons without difficulty and has a smooth finish.

Some of the most common uses of this tree are listed as below:

• Heavy Construction work
• Interior Finishing
• Boat Building
• Furniture making and Cabinets, Shelves etc.

Medicinal:

The decoction prepared with the flowers, leaves and roots is used to reduce fever and pain, inflammation caused due to tonsils and other disorders. The preparations of the cortex of the tree are consumed to eliminate malaria, intestinal parasites and uterine cancer. A decoction of the cortex is recommended for anaemia and constipation.

It was also once considered as a possible treatment for some types of cancer because of the Lapachol photochemical found in this tree. It is a natural organic compound and is chemically also related to Vitamin K.  However, lapohol’s potential is now considered low due to its toxic side effects. Lapohol also has antimalarial and antipanasomal effects.

Agroforestry:

The tree is also used to provide shade in coffee and cocoa plantations.