Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Eastern Asia
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Types
Ulmus chumlia, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus elongata
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Number of Varieties
3520
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
River side
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-99-13
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-5
12-9
Sunset Zone
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,520.00 cm760.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm17.80 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Tan, Brown
Green, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Red, Green
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Toothed
Butterfly shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
-
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Fall
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Requires watering in the 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, Alkaline
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, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove shoots
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
organic fertlizers
Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Red blotch, Scale
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds
Allergy
allergic reaction
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bonsai, Landscape Designing
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for birds, Food for insects, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent Soil Erosion
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antidote, Demulcent, Diuretic
Carminative, Laxative
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Inner Bark, Leaves
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Used as firewood, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in construction, Used in Furniture, Wood is used for making furniture, Wood is used for ship building, Wood is used in construction
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
ULMUS parvifolia 'Drake'
BAUHINIA purpurea
Common Name
Chinese Elm, Drake Elm
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
In Hindi
चीनी एल्म
Butterfly tree
In German
Chinese Elm
Schmetterlings- Baum
In French
Elm chinoise
arbre de papillon
In Spanish
olmo chino
árbol de la mariposa
In Greek
Κινέζοι Elm
δέντρο πεταλούδα
In Portuguese
Elm chinês
árvore borboleta
In Polish
Chiński Elm
drzewo Butterfly
In Latin
Chinese Elm
Gloria ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Rosales
Fabales
Family
Ulmaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Ulmus
Bauhinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Ulmeae
Cercideae
Subfamily
-
Caesalpinioideae
Number of Species
35500
1
27800
👆🏻