Pink lapacho

In winter the leafless lapacho is cloaked in pink flowers, and the streets of Asunción turn into pink tunnels.

The pink lapacho is a tree of the bignonia family, growing to 20–30 m, with palmately compound leaves. At the end of the dry season, before the new leaves unfold, the whole crown is covered in a mass of pink or purplish-pink, funnel-shaped flowers. Its wood is very hard, heavy and rot-resistant, so it was used for building, flooring and tool handles. An infusion known as “pau d’arco” or “taheebo” is made from the bark and used in folk medicine.

Significance in the country

The tajy is one of Paraguay’s best-loved trees – its winter flowering in Asunción is an annual celebration for the city, and its Guarani name often appears in poetry and songs.

Where it grows

Throughout the country – in the forests of eastern Paraguay and the Chaco; planted in great numbers along the streets of Asunción and other towns.

More: Wikipedia (en)