Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Perennial
Tree
Origin
Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Canada, Mexico
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Types
Ratibida columnifera
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Number of Varieties
2520
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, Prairies, Rocky areas, rocky outcrops
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-109-13
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-1
12-9
Sunset Zone
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
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm760.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm17.80 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Purple, Burgundy, Light Green, Brown
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Green, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Gray Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green, Gray Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green, Gray Green
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Subulate
Butterfly shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases
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
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
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
Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun
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
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Birds
Allergy
Rhinitis
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Analgesic
Carminative, Laxative
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Used in making tea
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
RATIBIDA columnifera
BAUHINIA purpurea
Common Name
Mexican Hat
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
In Hindi
Mexican Hat
Butterfly tree
In German
Mexican Hat
Schmetterlings- Baum
In French
Mexican Hat
arbre de papillon
In Spanish
mexican Hat
árbol de la mariposa
In Greek
Mexican Hat
δέντρο πεταλούδα
In Portuguese
Mexican Hat
árvore borboleta
In Polish
Mexican Hat
drzewo Butterfly
In Latin
Mexicanus Hat
Gloria ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asterales
Fabales
Family
Asteraceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Ratibida
Bauhinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Cercideae
Subfamily
-
Caesalpinioideae
Number of Species
14500
1
27800
👆🏻