#946 Bauhinia variegata Common Names: orchid tree, purple orchid tree, mountain ebony, poor man's orchid Family: Fabaceae/Leguminosae (bean Family) Get link to this Profile or click for data record #946

It is quite a sight to see a whole tree covered with these spectacular (and fragrant!) orchid-like blossoms that are up to 5 in (12.7 cm) across.

Hong Kong orchid tree (Bauhinia X blakeana is a sterile hybrid between (probably) B. variegata and B. purpurea, and is usually considered to be the most beautiful of all the orchid trees. It is a somewhat larger tree, evergreen with large thick leaves and striking purplish red flowers.

Location
Orchid trees is native to northern India, Viet Nam and southeastern China.

Culture
Orchid trees do best in acidic soil and suffer under limey conditions. They are not tolerant of salty conditions, either.
Light: Full sun. Orchid tree can tolerate very light shade from tall pines, for example.
Moisture: Water freely during the summer and less so in winter. Orchid tree may drop its leaves during winter drought, but this is not a bad thing.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 9 - 11. Orchid tree is a subtropical plant that usually recovers from brief freezes (after dropping its leaves). It gets tree sized in the tropics, but will stay shrublike where it is subjected to frost and freezing. Purple orchid tree can survive temperatures to 22°F (-5.5°C). The hybrid, Hong Kong orchid tree, is not so hardy and usually killed by temperatures below 26°F (-3.3°C).
Propagation: Seeds germinate readily. Orchid tree also can be propagated from cuttings of semiripe wood taken in summer and rooted over bottom heat. Branches can be induced to grow roots if they are layered, either by burying a section in the ground, or scarring a small section and then wrapping it with damp sphagnum moss and enclosing in a plastic bag. The tree sometimes produces suckers which can be dug up and replanted.

Compact size and long flowering season make the orchid tree suitable for small yards in Zones 9+ but select sterile hybrids in areas where this tree is invasive (like Florida).

Features
There are more than 200 species in the genus Bauhinia. Purple orchid tree, sometimes sold under the name B. purpurea, is the most frequently planted species. An abstract version of a Hong Kong orchid tree (B. X blakeana) blossom appears on the flag of the city-state of Hong Kong (I dunno though, it looks more like a plumeria blossom to me - Jack).

WARNING
The Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council lists the orchid tree as a Category 1 invasive species. This category identifies "invasive exotics that are altering native plant communities by displacing native species, changing community structures or ecological functions, or hybridizing with natives". This was one of the original eleven species that the Florida Nurserymen and Growers Association recommended for removal from the market by its members.

Steve Christman 3/11/02; updated 4/1/02, 3/5/05

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