Life Span
Biennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tender Perennial
Origin
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
-
Types
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Alternanthera reineckii
Alternanthera sessilis
Alternanthera philoxeroides
Alternanthera bettzickiana
Alternanthera caracasana
Number of Varieties
20400
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
Grassland
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-139-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
H1, H2
Habit
Upright/Erect
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
760.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
17.80 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green, Sandy Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Red, Purple, Pink, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Red, Purple, Pink, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Red, Purple, Pink, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Red, Purple, Pink, Burgundy
Shape
Leaf Shape
Butterfly shaped
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
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
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
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
Requires regular watering, 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
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
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Carminative, Laxative
Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, Antioxidants
Part of Plant Used
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Whole plant
Other Uses
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
BAUHINIA purpurea
ALTERNANTHERA 'Raspberry Rum'
Common Name
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
Alternanthera
In Hindi
Butterfly tree
Gudrisag, Garundi
In German
Schmetterlings- Baum
Alternanthera
In French
arbre de papillon
Alternanthera
In Spanish
árbol de la mariposa
Alternanthera
In Greek
δέντρο πεταλούδα
Alternanthera
In Portuguese
árvore borboleta
Alternanthera
In Polish
drzewo Butterfly
Alternanthera
In Latin
Gloria ligno
Alternanthera
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Caryophyllales
Family
Fabaceae
Amaranthaceae
Genus
Bauhinia
Alternanthera
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Cercideae
-
Subfamily
Caesalpinioideae
Gomphrenoideae
Number of Species
50027
1
27800
👆🏻