The spectacular golden trumpet tree can get up to 80 ft (24 m) tall in its native habitat, but is usually smaller, maybe 30-40 ft (9-10 m) tall, in cultivation. It has an open, spreading crown that makes for a lovely shade tree. The bright yellow trumpet shaped flowers are about 2 in (5 cm) long and arranged in compact clusters. The flowers are produced in late winter and early spring, just as the old leaves drop and before the new leaves begin emerging. Thus the leafless tree is completely yellow and quite a showstopper. The sweetly fragrant flowers last for a month or more, and when they fall they decorate the ground beneath with a yellow carpet. The leaves are palmately compound with five leaflets. They are up to 10 in (25 cm) across, and arranged opposite each other on the stems. The leaves are quite attractive in their own right. The seeds are borne in linear beanlike capsules around 10 in (25 cm) in length.