Life Span
Annual
Biennial
Type
Shrub
Tree
Origin
Southern Africa
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Types
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Number of Varieties
2020
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-119-13
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm760.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm17.80 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Red
Green, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic and Ovate
Butterfly shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Shade areas
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water daily during growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
Average Water Needs, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water Deeply
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
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds
Allergy
Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Carminative, Laxative
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa
BAUHINIA purpurea
Common Name
Carissia
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
In Hindi
Carissa
Butterfly tree
In German
carissa
Schmetterlings- Baum
In French
carissa
arbre de papillon
In Spanish
carissa
árbol de la mariposa
In Greek
carissa
δέντρο πεταλούδα
In Portuguese
carissa
árvore borboleta
In Polish
carissa
drzewo Butterfly
In Latin
carissa
Gloria ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Fabales
Family
Apocynaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Carissa
Bauhinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Carisseae
Cercideae
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Caesalpinioideae
Number of Species
100500
1
27800
👆🏻