Life Span
Biennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Eastern Asia, China
Types
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Candleberry tree
Number of Varieties
205
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
Saline Soils, Upland, Upland soils
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-138-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
10-8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
760.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
17.80 cm600.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Sandy Brown
White, Ivory
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
Yellow, Red, Orange
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Butterfly shaped
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall
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
Average
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Cold climate, Drought, Pollution, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water Deeply
Average Water Needs, Medium, Requires watering in the growing season
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
Average
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 damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Apply N-P-K
fertilize in growing season, Less fertilizing, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Insects, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
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
-
Nausea, Toxic, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Landscape Designing
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 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
Boils
Part of Plant Used
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes, Used as firewood, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
BAUHINIA purpurea
TRIADICA sebifera
Common Name
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
Chinese Tallow
In Hindi
Butterfly tree
चीनी तेल
In German
Schmetterlings- Baum
chinesisch Talg
In French
arbre de papillon
chinesisch Talg
In Spanish
árbol de la mariposa
suif chinois
In Greek
δέντρο πεταλούδα
κινέζικο ζωικό λίπος
In Portuguese
árvore borboleta
sebo chinesa
In Polish
drzewo Butterfly
chiński łój
In Latin
Gloria ligno
Chinese adipe
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Embryophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Malpighiales
Family
Fabaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Genus
Bauhinia
Triadica
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Cercideae
Hippomaneae
Subfamily
Caesalpinioideae
Euphorbioideae
Number of Species
500100
1
27800
👆🏻