Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Eastern Asia, China
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Types
Candleberry tree
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Number of Varieties
520
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Saline Soils, Upland, Upland soils
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-109-13
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
12-9
Sunset Zone
H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm760.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
600.00 cm17.80 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Green, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Red, Orange
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Butterfly shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Cold climate, Drought, Pollution, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Medium, Requires watering in the growing season
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, Less fertilizing, Nitrogen
Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
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
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds
Allergy
Nausea, Toxic, Vomiting
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Landscape Designing
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Absorbs greenhouse gases, Absorbs huge amounts of CO2, Air purification, Amazing growth rate, Erosion control, Food for insects, Forms dense stands, Nesting sites for birds, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shadow Tree, Shelter for wildlife, Soil protection, soil stabilisation, Used to establish native woodland, Very little waste, Wildlife, Windbreak
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Boils
Carminative, Laxative
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes, Used as firewood, Used for its medicinal properties
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
TRIADICA sebifera
BAUHINIA purpurea
Common Name
Chinese Tallow
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
In Hindi
चीनी तेल
Butterfly tree
In German
chinesisch Talg
Schmetterlings- Baum
In French
chinesisch Talg
arbre de papillon
In Spanish
suif chinois
árbol de la mariposa
In Greek
κινέζικο ζωικό λίπος
δέντρο πεταλούδα
In Portuguese
sebo chinesa
árvore borboleta
In Polish
chiński łój
drzewo Butterfly
In Latin
Chinese adipe
Gloria ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Embryophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Malpighiales
Fabales
Family
Euphorbiaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Triadica
Bauhinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Hippomaneae
Cercideae
Subfamily
Euphorbioideae
Caesalpinioideae
Number of Species
100500
1
27800
👆🏻