pink cedar

USVI Native Plant

Tabebuia heterophylla

Tabebuia heterophylla, also known as pink cedar, pink trumpet, white cedar (and a variety of other common names) is a native tree to the Caribbean Islands. It is particularly common in dry, coastal woodlands and moist forests and grows up to 18 meters tall. Its species is known to grow very fast and has bell-shaped flowers that bloom throughout the spring and summer. It is commonly harvested for local use and exported for a variety of uses. It is well suited for ornamental purposes such as shading parking lots, sidewalks along the street, and gardens. Its wood is widely used as building material for furniture, flooring, cabinetwork, and boat building. It has also been used for a variety of medicinal purposes.

The leaves of Tabebuia heterophylla are oppositely arranged and palmately compound. It has pinnate leaf venation with leaves that are made up of 5 or fewer leaflets. Its trumpet-shaped flowers range from bright pink to a white/cream color with yellow throats.

Works Cited 

• Fern, Ken. Tabebuia heterophylla. Useful Tropical Plants, 13 June 2019, tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Tabebuia+heterophylla 
• Pasiecznik, Nick. Tabebuia heterophylla (pink trumpet tree). Invasive Species Compendium, Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International, 28 Feb. 2008, www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/52567
• Richardson, Sean. VI medicinal plants at a glance. University of the Virgin Islands Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, sites.google.com/a/myuvi.net/ccam/vi-plants-at-a-glance/vi-medicinal-plants-at-a-glance
• Watson, Dennis G., and Edward F. Gilman. Tabebuia heterophylla: pink trumpet tree. EDIS New Publications RSS, Environmental Horticulture, 29 Mar. 2019, edis.ifas.ufl.edu/st616