Life Span
Biennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Flowering Plants, Herbs
Origin
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
-
Types
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
-
Number of Varieties
202
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
moist forests, Mountains
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-134-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
9-2
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
760.00 cm38.10 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
17.80 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Purple, Pink, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Sandy Brown
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Butterfly shaped
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring
Late Spring, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water Deeply
Needs very little water
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
cut main trunk every 5 years, Prune after flowering, Prune central stem, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply N-P-K
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 5-10-5 amounts, Compost
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Nematodes, Red blotch, Trunk Rot
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Butterflies, Leaf Hoppers
Allergy
-
Itchiness, Sore Throat
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
-
Anti-ageing, Good Cleanser, Remove blemishes, Removes pimples
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Carminative, Laxative
Cough, Haemorrhages, Laxative, Obesity, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Added to salads, Can be boiled and seasoned, pickled, Culinary use
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
BAUHINIA purpurea
Averrhoa bilimbi
Common Name
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
Bilimbi, Mimbro
In Hindi
Butterfly tree
Bilimbi
In German
Schmetterlings- Baum
bilimbi
In French
arbre de papillon
bilimbi
In Spanish
árbol de la mariposa
bilimbi
In Greek
δέντρο πεταλούδα
bilimbi
In Portuguese
árvore borboleta
bilimbi
In Polish
drzewo Butterfly
bilimbi
In Latin
Gloria ligno
Rondo Beardtongue
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Oxalidales
Family
Fabaceae
Oxalidaceae
Genus
Bauhinia
Averrhoa
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Cercideae
-
Subfamily
Caesalpinioideae
-
Number of Species
50012
1
27800
👆🏻