Life Span
Biennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Tree
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
North America, Mexico, Central America
Types
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Hibiscus arnottianus, Hibiscus waimeae
Number of Varieties
20-
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
gardens, Grassland, Homesteads, Subtropical climates, tropical environments
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-139-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
21,22
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
760.00 cm600.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
17.80 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Gold
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Sandy Brown
Chocolate, Ivory, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Butterfly shaped
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Variety of soil types
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Stem Cutting, Tip cutting, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water Deeply
It cannot sustain wet-feet, Keep the Soil well drained, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water frequently while growing, Water more in summer, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
A hard prune may be necessary if the plant becomes woody, Cut leaves after fall, Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Prune for shortening long shoots, Prune in early summer, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Apply N-P-K
Apply 10-10-10 amount, Balanced liquid fertilizer, Do not fertilize new plants until at least a month, Use a low phosphate fertilizer to improve the quality of the blooms
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Mealybugs, Red spider mite, Scale, Thripes, Whiteflies
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Variety of soil types
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Borders, Landscape Designing
Beauty Benefits
-
Hair Conditioner, Prevents greying of hair, Prevents Premature Baldness, Promotes Healthy Hair, Promotes healthy skin, Speed hair growth
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Carminative, Laxative
anti-inflammatory, Diuretic, Hair Loss, High blood pressure, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Flowers, Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Culinary use, Employed in herbal medicine, Jam, Jelly, Making Shampoo, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Showy Purposes, Traditional medicine, Use in Chinese herbology, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for bedding in gardens, Used for fragrance, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in making beverages, Used in paper industry, Used in salads, Used to make hair tonic
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Container, Foundation, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
BAUHINIA purpurea
Hibiscus arnottianus
Common Name
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
White Hibiscus
In Hindi
Butterfly tree
सफेद हिबिस्कुस
In German
Schmetterlings- Baum
Weiß Hibiscus
In French
arbre de papillon
white Hibiscus
In Spanish
árbol de la mariposa
hibisco blanco
In Greek
δέντρο πεταλούδα
White Hibiscus
In Portuguese
árvore borboleta
Hibiscus branco
In Polish
drzewo Butterfly
Biały Hibiscus
In Latin
Gloria ligno
Hibiscus album
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Malvales
Family
Fabaceae
Malvaceae
Genus
Bauhinia
Hibiscus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Cercideae
Hibisceae
Subfamily
Caesalpinioideae
Malvoideae
Number of Species
500100
1
27800
👆🏻