Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Fruit, Shrub
Tree
Origin
South America
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Types
V. × heilbornii
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Number of Varieties
020
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-119-13
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm760.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm17.80 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
Green, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Palmate
Butterfly shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Vegetative Reproduction
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water Deeply
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove shoots
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Digestive disorders
Carminative, Laxative
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Used in making champagne
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
BAUHINIA purpurea
Common Name
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
In Hindi
Babaco
Butterfly tree
In German
Babaco
Schmetterlings- Baum
In French
Babaco
arbre de papillon
In Spanish
Babaco
árbol de la mariposa
In Greek
Babaco
δέντρο πεταλούδα
In Portuguese
Babaco
árvore borboleta
In Polish
Babaco
drzewo Butterfly
In Latin
Babaco
Gloria ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Brassicales
Fabales
Family
Caricaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Vasconcellea
Bauhinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Cercideae
Subfamily
-
Caesalpinioideae
Number of Species
1500
1
27800
👆🏻