Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Biennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Tree
Origin
North America, Mexico, Central America
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Types
Hibiscus arnottianus, Hibiscus waimeae
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Number of Varieties
-20
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Grassland, Homesteads, Subtropical climates, tropical environments
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-159-13
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-9
Sunset Zone
21,22
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
600.00 cm760.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm17.80 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Gold
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Chocolate, Ivory, Black
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
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
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Variety of soil types
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Stem Cutting, Tip cutting, Vegetative Reproduction
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
It cannot sustain wet-feet, Keep the Soil well drained, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water frequently while growing, Water more in summer, Water when soil is 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
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
A hard prune may be necessary if the plant becomes woody, Cut leaves after fall, Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Prune for shortening long shoots, Prune in early summer, Remove deadheads
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount, Balanced liquid fertilizer, Do not fertilize new plants until at least a month, Use a low phosphate fertilizer to improve the quality of the blooms
Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Mealybugs, Red spider mite, Scale, Thripes, Whiteflies
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Variety of soil types
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
Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Birds
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Landscape Designing
-
Beauty Benefits
Hair Conditioner, Prevents greying of hair, Prevents Premature Baldness, Promotes Healthy Hair, Promotes healthy skin, Speed hair growth
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
anti-inflammatory, Diuretic, Hair Loss, High blood pressure, Vitamin C
Carminative, Laxative
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Culinary use, Employed in herbal medicine, Jam, Jelly, Making Shampoo, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Showy Purposes, Traditional medicine, Use in Chinese herbology, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for bedding in gardens, Used for fragrance, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in making beverages, Used in paper industry, Used in salads, Used to make hair tonic
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Foundation, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
Hibiscus arnottianus
BAUHINIA purpurea
Common Name
White Hibiscus
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
In Hindi
सफेद हिबिस्कुस
Butterfly tree
In German
Weiß Hibiscus
Schmetterlings- Baum
In French
white Hibiscus
arbre de papillon
In Spanish
hibisco blanco
árbol de la mariposa
In Greek
White Hibiscus
δέντρο πεταλούδα
In Portuguese
Hibiscus branco
árvore borboleta
In Polish
Biały Hibiscus
drzewo Butterfly
In Latin
Hibiscus album
Gloria ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Malvales
Fabales
Family
Malvaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Hibiscus
Bauhinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Hibisceae
Cercideae
Subfamily
Malvoideae
Caesalpinioideae
Number of Species
100500
1
27800
👆🏻