Life Span
Biennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
India, China
Types
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Bead tree
Number of Varieties
203
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
Forest margins, Roadsides
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-138-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
H1, H2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
760.00 cm910.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
17.80 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Sandy Brown
Yellow
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Butterfly shaped
Pinnate
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Cold climate, Drought, Pollution, Soil Compaction, Variety of soil types
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water Deeply
Average Water Needs, Medium, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season, Water daily during growing season, Water less during winter
In Summer
Lots of watering
Ample Water
In Spring
Moderate
Less Watering
In Winter
Average Water
Less Watering
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
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
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Apply N-P-K
Fertilize every year, fertilize in growing season, Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Insects, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate, Drought, Variety of soil types
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Absorbs greenhouse gases, Absorbs huge amounts of CO2, Air purification, Amazing growth rate, Erosion control, Food for birds, Food for insects, Forms dense stands, Nesting sites for birds, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shadow Tree, Shelter for wildlife, Soil protection, soil stabilisation, Used to establish native woodland, Very little waste, Wildlife, Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Carminative, Laxative
-
Part of Plant Used
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Seeds, Stem, Tree trunks
Other Uses
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Air freshner, Showy Purposes, Used as firewood, Used as Ornamental plant, Wood is used for making furniture, Wood is used for ship building, Wood is used fore making tools, Wood is used in construction, Wood log is used in making fences
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Shade Trees
Botanical Name
BAUHINIA purpurea
MELIA azedarach
Common Name
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
Chinaberry Tree
In Hindi
Butterfly tree
Chinaberry ट्री
In German
Schmetterlings- Baum
Chinaberry -Baum
In French
arbre de papillon
Chinaberry Arbre
In Spanish
árbol de la mariposa
Chinaberry Arbre
In Greek
δέντρο πεταλούδα
chinaberry Δέντρο
In Portuguese
árvore borboleta
azederaque
In Polish
drzewo Butterfly
azederaque
In Latin
Gloria ligno
Chinaberry ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Sapindales
Family
Fabaceae
Meliaceae
Genus
Bauhinia
Melia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Cercideae
Melieae
Subfamily
Caesalpinioideae
Meloideae
Number of Species
50050
1
27800
👆🏻