Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
India, Nepal, China
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Types
Betula utilis
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Number of Varieties
220
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mountains
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-79-13
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7-5
12-9
Sunset Zone
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Pyramidal
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm760.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
760.00 cm17.80 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Tan, Brown
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Yellow green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Cordiform
Butterfly shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Stem Cutting
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Average Water Needs, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water Deeply
In Summer
Average Water
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
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Fertilize in early spring, Fertilize in late fall, slow-release fertilizers
Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Honey fungus, Leaves with brown tip, Phytophthora Root Rot, Powdery mildew, Verticillium Wilt
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions, waterlogging, Wet Site
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
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
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
Weightloss
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Antioxidants, Antiseptic, Carminative
Carminative, Laxative
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Used in construction, Wood is used in construction
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
BETULA utilis
BAUHINIA purpurea
Common Name
Himalayan Birch
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
In Hindi
हिमालय सन्टी
Butterfly tree
In German
Himalaya-Birke
Schmetterlings- Baum
In French
bouleau de l'Himalaya
arbre de papillon
In Spanish
abedul del Himalaya
árbol de la mariposa
In Greek
Himalayan σημύδας
δέντρο πεταλούδα
In Portuguese
bétula Himalaia
árvore borboleta
In Polish
Himalayan brzoza
drzewo Butterfly
In Latin
Birch Himalayan
Gloria ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Fabales
Family
Betulaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Betula
Bauhinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Cercideae
Subfamily
-
Caesalpinioideae
Number of Species
30500
1
27800
👆🏻