Bauhinia variegata
Orchid tree · also Mountain ebony, Purple orchid tree, Variegated orchid tree
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Bauhinia variegata is a flowering tree native to China, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent, known for its distinctive two-lobed leaves and showy, orchid-like flowers. It can be a shrub or small tree and attracts birds. This species is often grown in warm climates and may require regular light trimming to manage its height.
Where it grows
Trees in each city's inventory, with the share of that city's named trees this species accounts for.
- 2030.04%35 yr7.5 in
- 1740.05%—3.1 in
- 1310.08%—7.4 in
- 190.07%—9.0 in
- 130.16%——
Traits
- Form
- Ornamental
- Mature height
- 20–35 ft
- Canopy spread
- 20–35 ft
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Water needs
- Moderate
- Wildlife value
- Moderate
- Blooms
- Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Dec
Trunk diameters across every city: median 5.3 in, mean 6.0 in, 90th percentile 11 in. Measured at breast height, as published by each inventory.
Native range
Terrestrial ecoregions where this species is native. Trees in the dataset mostly stand well outside it.
Tropical & Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests
- Central Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests
- Central Indochina dry forests
- East Deccan dry-evergreen forests
- South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests
- Southern Vietnam lowland dry forests
Tropical & Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests
- Northern Thailand-Laos moist deciduous forests
- South China-Vietnam subtropical evergreen forests
Other Bauhinia in the catalogue
5 of the top 2,000 species are in this genus.
