Botanical Name: Bauhinia variegata (Bauhinia purpurea)
Common Name: Purple orchid tree
Type of Plant: dicot: tree
Character deciduous
 
Habit of Growth:
Overall Shape an upright to irregularly spreading multitrunked tree with an open rounded canopy; older plants tend to have a full canopy which is somewhat umbrella-shaped; young plants are often trained into single-trunked trees
Height 15'-30'(40')
Spread 2/3-equal
Growth Rate rapid
 
Environment:
Exposure full or partial sun preferred; avoid heavy shade for best flowering
Soil a moist loamy soil is preferred; can tolerate most except highly alkaline
Hardiness some frost (zones 13, 18-23); thrives in warm areas near the coast
 
Morphology:
Leaves palmate, alternate, conspicuously bi-lobed with 9 - 13 veins spreading from the base of blade; 3"-5" wide and as long, light bluish green, leathery
Flowers pinkish lavender to orchid or purple, very showy, with an orchid-like shape, fragrant, 2-3" wide; in axillary clusters; mostly late spring - summer
Fruit a pod: large (4-10" long), dark brown, not constricted between the seeds
 
Propagation:
by seed (germinate easily)
 
Usage:
a very conspicuous accent tree, prized for its spectacular flower display flower display and attractive foliage; widely used as a lawn or street tree; primarily for tropical - subtropical landscape styles; is very messy
 
Landscape Care:
Watering regular is preferred – can tolerate heavy watering; the plant is somewhat drought-tolerant after established in mild climate coastal areas
Fertilizing feed with a balanced fertilizer afterpeak blooming period
Pruning young plants usually require staking and heading high; thin as needed
Pests/Diseases relatively free; check for whitefly and mealybug in shaded sites
Special Conditions/Other can be invasive from seed; the most widely used Bauhinia
 
Origin: subtropical regions of southern China
Family: Fabaceae

Notes:
 
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