Head to head
Flame Tree or Tabebuia — which should I plant in the UAE?
These are the two flowering trees people in the UAE actually choose between, and the decision is almost never about the flowers. Both perform. The question is what the roots do to your hard landscaping in year six, and which month you want the display.
Flame tree flowers scarlet across May to July, when the garden is barely used. Tabebuia flowers pink for three to four weeks in spring on bare branches, and then leafs out. Neither is the 'better' tree — they solve different problems.
| Plant | Light | Water (in AC) | AC tolerance | Dry-air tolerance | Pet safe | Difficulty | Mature height | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flame Tree (Delonix regia) — 30LtrDelonix regia | Full sun | Every 7-10 days | Low | High | Partly | Easy | 800-1200 cm | AED 399 |
| Pink Trumpet Tree (Tabebuia) — 50LtrTabebuia rosea | Full sun | Every 7-10 days | Low | High | Yes | Moderate | 600-1000 cm | AED 479 |
Choose the Flame Tree if you have open ground and want shade
It gives a wide, flat, genuinely useful canopy over a majlis or a seating area, and the scarlet flush in June is the thing most people picture when they say 'flowering tree'. It needs 4 metres of clearance from any slab, wall or drainage run — its shallow surface roots are the single most common cause of lifted paving in UAE villa gardens. On a large plot with lawn or gravel around it, that is a non-issue and it is the better tree.
Safety: Seeds and pods cause stomach upset if eaten by dogs or livestock.
Flame Tree (Delonix regia) — 30Ltr — AED 399
Choose the Tabebuia if it sits near paving, a pool or a wall
Its roots are the best behaved of any flowering tree we stock, so it can go where a flame tree cannot. The spring display is arguably more striking — it drops its leaves and covers itself in pink trumpets on naked wood, a solid block of colour for three to four weeks. The trade-off is shade: the canopy is lighter and less useful, so buy it for the show rather than to sit under.
Pink Trumpet Tree (Tabebuia) — 50Ltr — AED 479Common questions
Which grows faster, a flame tree or a tabebuia?
The flame tree, once it is established — it spends its first year building roots, then moves quickly. Tabebuia is slower throughout, which is part of the same trait that makes its root system less aggressive near paving.
Do either of these trees lose their leaves in the UAE?
Both do, briefly. The flame tree is deciduous for a few weeks in late winter; tabebuia drops its leaves immediately before flowering in spring. Neither is a sign of ill health, and both releaf quickly.