Life Span
Biennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Perennial
Origin
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Southeastern United States, South-Central United States
Types
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Apricot Queen, August Flame, Autumn Fire
Number of Varieties
208
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
Fields, marshes, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-136-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
H1, H2, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
760.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
17.80 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Orange, Dark Red, Orange Red, Copper, Chocolate, Black
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
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Butterfly shaped
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring
Spring, Late Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
From Rhizomes, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water Deeply
Do not let dry out between waterings, Needs Very high moisture
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
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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
organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Mosaic potyvirus
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
Poisonous to grazing animals
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Bog Garden, Water gardening
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Carminative, Laxative
Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Flowers
Other Uses
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Oil is used for aromatherapy
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Bog Garden, Water Gardens, Wildflower
Botanical Name
BAUHINIA purpurea
IRIS fulva
Common Name
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
Copper iris
In Hindi
Butterfly tree
Copper Iris
In German
Schmetterlings- Baum
Copper Iris
In French
arbre de papillon
Copper Iris
In Spanish
árbol de la mariposa
Cobre Iris
In Greek
δέντρο πεταλούδα
χαλκός Iris
In Portuguese
árvore borboleta
Copper Iris
In Polish
drzewo Butterfly
Miedź Iris
In Latin
Gloria ligno
Iris Copper
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Fabales
Liliales
Family
Fabaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Bauhinia
Iris
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Cercideae
Irideae
Subfamily
Caesalpinioideae
Iridoideae
Number of Species
500250
1
27800
👆🏻