Life Span
Biennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Southern Africa, South Africa
Types
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Acacia aulacocarpa, Papuan wattle, Red wattle
Number of Varieties
2016
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
Valley, wooded grassland
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-139-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
H1, H2, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
760.00 cm910.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
17.80 cm910.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Light Yellow, Lemon yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Sandy Brown
Tan, Chocolate
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, Yellow green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Green, Gray 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
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water Deeply
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Keep the Soil well drained, Needs 2-3 times watering per week, 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
Pruning
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Apply N-P-K
Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Butterflies
Allergy
-
Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin and hair
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree, Wildlife, Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Carminative, Laxative
Abdominal Disease, Anthelmintic, Back pain, Chest pain, Colic, Cough, Diarrhea, Digestive disorders, Dysentry, Emetic, Febrifuge, Liver problems, Sore Eyes, Stomachic, Tonic, tonic in pregnancy, Tooth ache, Treat Parasitic Intestinal Worms, Treating fever, tuberculosis, Upset stomach, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Bark, Seeds, Stem, Tree trunks
Other Uses
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Gum, Used as fuel, Wood is used for making furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
BAUHINIA purpurea
PELTOPHORUM africanum
Common Name
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
Black Wattle, Weeping Wattle
In Hindi
Butterfly tree
Black Wattle Tree
In German
Schmetterlings- Baum
Schwarz Akazie Baum
In French
arbre de papillon
Noir Arbre Wattle
In Spanish
árbol de la mariposa
Negro del árbol del zarzo
In Greek
δέντρο πεταλούδα
Μαύρο Wattle Δέντρο
In Portuguese
árvore borboleta
Árvore da acácia negra
In Polish
drzewo Butterfly
Czarne Drzewo akacji
In Latin
Gloria ligno
Niger Wattle ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Rosopsida
Order
Fabales
Gentianales
Family
Fabaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Bauhinia
Peltophorum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Cercideae
Caesalpinieae
Subfamily
Caesalpinioideae
Caesalpinioideae
Number of Species
50015
1
27800
👆🏻