Bauhinia - Buddhist Bauhinia, Butterfly Flower, Jerusalem Date, Mountain Ebony, Orchid Tree, St. Thomas-Tree, St.-Thomas-Tree

(Bauhin'ia)

DESCRIPTION: These beautiful, tender trees and shrubs are natives of India, Malaya, China and tropical Africa. These plants are popular in warm regions for their gorgeous, Orchid-like blossoms. The flowers are 2 to 3 inches across, may be white, pink or purple, and are borne in the winter and early spring; they are followed by 6- to 8-inch, flat, brown seedpods. The young foliage and blossoms are stewed and eaten as vegetables in their native countries. B. monandra, commonly known as Butterfly Flower and Jerusalem Date, is a shrub or small tree that can grow up to 25 feet high. It has 3- to 4-inch, rounded, broad-lobed leaves and pink flowers marked with purple. B. purpurea is a tree that grows up to 30 feet in height. Its clusters of lightly scented flowers range in color from nearly white to various shades of purple. B. tomentosa, St.-Thomas-Tree, is a shrub that grows up to 15 feet high and has small leaves and yellow flowers; the flowers have a red or chocolate brown splotch on one of the petals. B. variegata, Mountain Ebony or Orchid Tree, grows up to 25 feet high and produces lavender to purple flowers with wide petals. Bauhinias are great for shading patios, decorating lawns, or growing along streets. These trees are often seen with more than one trunk, but can easily be trained to grow only one by pruning it when young.

POTTING: These trees will survive a minimum temperature of 25º F. Even then, the trees may suffer and the branch tips may die back 2 to 12 inches. If the freezing temperatures only last a few days, the trees are usually not killed and will sprout below the dead parts of the branches. These trees will grow well in moist, well drained, acidic (pH 5.5 - 6.5) soil in a sunny location. They need shelter from wind. The trees may be pruned once the blossoms have died, but only if the tree is growing out of shape.

PROPAGATION: These trees may be increased by seeds, suckers, or stem cuttings rooted in a warm propagating case in the greenhouse. Remember, if it's desired to produce trees with only one trunk, prune out the excessive side shoots while they are still young plants.

VARIETIES: B. monandra; B. purpurea & var. alba (white flowers); B. tomentosa; B. variegata & var. candida (white flowers).

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