There are lavender trumpet trees and old-fashioned pink tecomas. These trumpet trees were favorites of Harold Lyon, the first director of the Honolulu botanical gardens. He brought many from South and Central America, and they grow today as large trees in the Foster Botanical Garden. The offspring of these trees also can be found at many schools, in parks and along our streets. Paul Chang, who worked at Foster Botanical Garden before moving to the Department of Education, planted many colors and forms of these gold and lavender and pink trees at our schools, where they still flourish and bloom splendidly today.
Many people love cherry blossom trees.
They do well in cooler upland areas of the Islands, such as Waimea on the Big Island and Wahiawa on O'ahu. I saw a nice one in an upslope garden in Palolo the other day. They thrive in Hawai'i's climate and usually always have a few blossoms, nestled amid the dark green leaves. At certain times, as in the spring, the tree puts out a mass of blossoms, giving a great cherry blossom-like show. Plumerias come into bloom in late March and early April.