Life Span
Biennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Grass
Origin
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Middle Africa
Types
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Perennial Grass
Number of Varieties
2015
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
Floodplains, Forest margins, Tropical regions, waterways, Wet lands, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-137-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12 - 1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
760.00 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
17.80 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Sandy Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Sandy Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Purple
Shape
Leaf Shape
Butterfly shaped
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring
Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Budding, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water Deeply
Requires regular watering, Water more in summer
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Apply N-P-K
Nitrogen, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Insects, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Flowers
Showy
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
Medium
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds, Flying insects
Allergy
-
Asthma, breathing problems
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Air purification, Amazing growth rate, Food for animals, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife, Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Carminative, Laxative
Eye Problems, Headache, Skin Disorders, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Food for animals, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
BAUHINIA purpurea
PENNISETUM purpureum 'Prince'
Common Name
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
Elephant Grass
In Hindi
Butterfly tree
हाथी घास
In German
Schmetterlings- Baum
Elefantengras
In French
arbre de papillon
l'herbe à éléphant
In Spanish
árbol de la mariposa
pasto elefante
In Greek
δέντρο πεταλούδα
ελέφαντα χόρτο
In Portuguese
árvore borboleta
capim-elefante
In Polish
drzewo Butterfly
trawa słoniowa
In Latin
Gloria ligno
elephanti herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Fabales
Poales
Family
Fabaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Bauhinia
Pennisetum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Cercideae
Paniceae
Subfamily
Caesalpinioideae
Panicoideae
Number of Species
5001
1
27800
👆🏻