Life Span
Biennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
Types
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Kigelia africana
Number of Varieties
209
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-139-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
760.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
17.80 cm910.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Dark Red, Tan
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Sandy Brown
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Gray Green, Yellow 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
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water Deeply
Needs a lot of water initially
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
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 branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply N-P-K
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Poisonous when unripe
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Slow downs aging
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Carminative, Laxative
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
Part of Plant Used
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Dried seeds, Leaves
Other Uses
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
BAUHINIA purpurea
KIGELIA africana
Common Name
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
Sausage Tree
In Hindi
Butterfly tree
Sausage Tree
In German
Schmetterlings- Baum
Sausage Tree
In French
arbre de papillon
saucisse Arbre
In Spanish
árbol de la mariposa
Árbol de salchicha
In Greek
δέντρο πεταλούδα
λουκάνικο δέντρο
In Portuguese
árvore borboleta
Árvore de salsicha
In Polish
drzewo Butterfly
kiełbasa Drzewo
In Latin
Gloria ligno
farciminis ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Lamiales
Family
Fabaceae
Bignoniaceae
Genus
Bauhinia
Kaempferia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Cercideae
Tecomeae
Subfamily
Caesalpinioideae
-
Number of Species
5009
1
27800
👆🏻