Resumo. Tabebuia aurea is a native arboreal species that can be used in recomposition programs of degradated areas, as ornamental plant and for production of wood of quality. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of the temperature and substrate on seed germination and initial growth of T. aurea seedlings. The experiment was developed in a completely randomized design in factorial scheme 5 x 5 with temperatures of 25, 30, 35, 20-30 and 20-35ºC; and substrates: paper towels, and into sand, vermiculite, coconut fiber and Tropstrato®, with four replications of 25 seeds each. The following parameters were also analyzed: germination, first germination count, germination speed index, average time of germination, length and dry weight matter of the shoot and the root. The temperatures and substrates influenced the analyzed parameters, except for the final percentage of germination, which varied from 84 to 94%. The optimal temperatures for germination were 30 and 35ºC. The substrates paper towels roll and sand can be recommended to evaluate the physiological quality of T.aurea seeds.