If any flowering tree could have enhanced the beauty of ITC Royal Bengal , it is surely ROSY TRUMPET or Pink Poui, botanically TABEBUIA ROSEA. Also called as Basanti Rani , it belongs to Jacaranda family, genus Bignoniaceae.

I was mesmerized as I witnessed the splendour of these pink flowering trees along the backdrop of the majestic hotel building , while driving on either side of the EM Bypass . There are atleast six or seven large Rosy Trumpet trees on the service lane, stretching from the Science City Circle to ITC Sonar Bangla, extending all the way upto the side walls of Royal Bengal building.

The tall structure emerging out of ground looks palatially beautiful anyway, yet Tabebuia rosea manages to splash pinkish hues upon it. Does this create the Pink City effect ? Is it Hawa Mahal that Royal Bengal reminds me of  ?

There are two trees,standing side-by-side, right on the Science City Circle. Here they are –

Notice the vertically- fissured barks, and tubular flowers having whitish necks and yellow middle, and light-pink petals. Rosy trumpet is a native of South America.

Near Coal India (New Town), stands a beautiful speciman of Rosy Trumpet. It is a sight to behold ! The hues are so showy that one cannot take eyes off, or drive away from this site.

The divider on the stretch between Coal India and Biswa Bangla Gate on the Rajarhat Expressway is lined with a large number of Tabebuia rosea trees. The sight resembles famed Cherry Blossom shots of London , Tokyo and New York. Rosy Trumpets / Tabebuia rosea belongs to Bignoniaceae genus, whereas Cherry Blossom is genus Prunus.

Tabebuia rosea is the national tree of El Salvador. In Spanish , it is known as Roble de Sabana or ‘Savannah Oak’.

The bark of the tree has a lot of medicinal properties. It contains lapachol , a derivative of napthaquinone, related to Vitamin K. But due to toxicity, the use is limited.

The pink canopy used to softscape the stretches on EM Bypass , and Rajarhat Expressway provide aesthetic comfort. It provides welcome change from Orange shades of Rudrapalash and Palash, Red of Semul and later Gulmohar, and Yellow of Golden Trumpet and later Amaltas. Rosy Trumpets wont be on display mode for long, but for however long they last, the effect they create is simply mind-blowing.

#rosytrumpet #pinkpoui

#ITCRoyalBengal #Tabebuiarosea