Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tree
Origin
Southern Africa
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Types
Perennial
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Number of Varieties
5020
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-109-13
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 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
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm760.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm17.80 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
Green, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
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
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
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, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale
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
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Birds
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Carminative, Laxative
Part of Plant Used
Root
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
BAUHINIA purpurea
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
In Hindi
African Iris
Butterfly tree
In German
Afrikanische Iris
Schmetterlings- Baum
In French
African Iris
arbre de papillon
In Spanish
Iris africano
árbol de la mariposa
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
δέντρο πεταλούδα
In Portuguese
Iris africano
árvore borboleta
In Polish
Afryki Iris
drzewo Butterfly
In Latin
African Iris
Gloria ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Fabales
Family
Iridaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Dietes
Bauhinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Irideae
Cercideae
Subfamily
Iridoideae
Caesalpinioideae
Number of Species
300500
1
27800
👆🏻