Life Span
Biennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Shrub
Origin
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Mexico
Types
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
-
Number of Varieties
202
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-138-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
11-7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
H1, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
760.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
17.80 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Red, Magenta, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green, Sandy Brown
Brown, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Butterfly shaped
Arrowhead
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water Deeply
Average Water Needs
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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply N-P-K
Apply 10-10-10 amount
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Borders
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Carminative, Laxative
Antiemetic, Diuretic, Purgative, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Used as a general tonic, Used as a rat poison, Used as a vegetable
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
BAUHINIA purpurea
ERYTHRINA herbacea
Common Name
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
Red cardinal, Cardinal spear
In Hindi
Butterfly tree
Red Cardinal
In German
Schmetterlings- Baum
Red Cardinal
In French
arbre de papillon
Cardinal rouge
In Spanish
árbol de la mariposa
Cárdenas
In Greek
δέντρο πεταλούδα
κόκκινο Καρδινάλιος
In Portuguese
árvore borboleta
Cardeal vermelho
In Polish
drzewo Butterfly
Red Cardinal
In Latin
Gloria ligno
Cardinalis Rubrum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Fabales
Family
Fabaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Bauhinia
Erythrina
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Cercideae
Phaseoleae
Subfamily
Caesalpinioideae
Faboideae
Number of Species
50010
1
27800
👆🏻