Life Span
Biennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tender Perennial
Origin
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Mexico, Central America
Types
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
-
Number of Varieties
2050
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
agricultural areas, Loamy soils, Warmer regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1310-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
760.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
17.80 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Fuchsia
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Sandy Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray 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
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Butterfly shaped
Oval Cordate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Dry Conditions, Soil Compaction, Sun
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
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, Do not water the foliage
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
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade
Pruning
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
A hard prune may be necessary if the plant becomes woody, Cut upper 1/3 section when young to enhancegrowth
Fertilizers
Apply N-P-K
Fertilize every three months
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Bacteria, Birds, Fungal Diseases, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Dry Conditions, Full Sun, Salt and Soil Compaction
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Beetles, Bugs, Insects
Allergy
-
Acidic, allergic conjunctivitis
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Hanging Basket, Landscape Designing
Beauty Benefits
-
Makes Hair Silkier, Making cosmetics
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Forms dense stands, Provides ground cover, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Carminative, Laxative
-
Part of Plant Used
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Leaves, Stem
Other Uses
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Air freshner, Cosmetics, Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
BAUHINIA purpurea
HETEROCENTRON elegans
Common Name
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
Spanish Shawl
In Hindi
Butterfly tree
Heterocentron
In German
Schmetterlings- Baum
Heterocentron
In French
arbre de papillon
Heterocentron
In Spanish
árbol de la mariposa
Heterocentron
In Greek
δέντρο πεταλούδα
Heterocentron
In Portuguese
árvore borboleta
Heterocentron
In Polish
drzewo Butterfly
Heterocentron
In Latin
Gloria ligno
Heterocentron
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Myrtales
Family
Fabaceae
Melastomataceae
Genus
Bauhinia
Heterocentron
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Cercideae
Abreae
Subfamily
Caesalpinioideae
-
Number of Species
500200
1
27800
👆🏻