PlantFiles: Hong Kong Orchid Tree
Bauhinia x blakeana

I understand some varieties do not shed seed pods, but I'm unclear on whether this tree would be considered 'messy' or not. I'm looking for a colorful tree to be used in a pool-side setting here in Phoenix. Can anyone comment on if this would be a good tree to use by a pool?

Hi, brand new here. I found this gorgeous tree down the street from me, while taking a photography walk. I was planning on going back (after I took some breathtaking photos of this!) another day to ask the owner if I could have some seeds or cuttings.

Now I see that the tree is sterile, seed-wise. I haven't had much experience planting from cuttings. Would anyone please tell me what I need to do as far as actual cutting and then planting? I appreciate any help I can get SO much! Thanks in advance! :-)

I have planted many of these trees from seedlings over the last 2 years and found they grow almost overnight in the wild, but don't take well to transplanting. My Mother can't kill hers (she attacks it with a machete) - even Hurricane Wilma felling it hasn't stopped it! But - transplanted, they are slow growing and the new tender growth is a favorite of bugs. The leaves stay chewed. Also, they are VERY susceptible to Sri Lankan Weevils (they love them), snails and slugs. I don't like to use commercial pesticides but actually tried it on these - to no avail. I have used fertilizers, Spray and Grow (which works great on everything else), supplemented to the soil - everything I can think of. What I thought would be an almost carefree tree is anything but...

I live in an apartment where we have a job allotting parking space for owners' cars. A couple of years ago we were forced to cut down a beautiful Cassia marginata which had given us several seasons of flowers and grown taller than our four-storey building. This was because the long and chunky seed pods were denting the cars parked below.
In 1995, when the construction was completed, I had ( in innocence and ignorance) planted all the trees around the building without any idea of "collateral damage"!
Now I have put a Bauhinia blakeana in its place and we enjoy the gorgeous flowers without having to worry abt the damage likely to be caused by falling fruit.
Incidentally, I thought my neighbour very tolerant when she kept quiet after her brand-new car got two dents the very day she had taken delivery from the showroom.
However I found her not so tolerant when she grumbled about the flowers of Millingtonia hortensis showered on her car. I thought it must have been delightful to have their heavenly perfume.
Apparently you can have too much of a good thing; she said she found it a nuisance!

Dr. Padmini Raghavan in Chennai, South India.
(earlier Madras.)

This is a nice understory specimen in my garden, but not sure thats it's blakeana. Transplanted from a pot when it was about a half-inch in diameter. It's grown faster in the ground. Now, two inch diameter trunk and 12 ft. tall. The leaves are so interesting. However, no blooms. Help!

Planted this tree 3 weeks ago. Leaves have turned brown and fallen off.

Tree shows green when scratched. How long should it stay in this condition?

I have the white, purple, and red varieties of the orchid tree. They all do very well in the Phoenix ,AZ area. The white, and the purple varieties are very easy to grow from seed. I haven't had much luck with the red hong kong orchids in propagation, i;ve tried air layering and cuttings but no luck yet. Oh all the flowers from these trees are very fragrant.

Orchid trees do very well in the lower desert heat but have troubles with the saltiness of the Phoenix area water. Not all varities of orchid trees are created equal. The less common Hong Kong orchid tree is preferable to the more common Purple orchid tree. Most importantly, the Hong Kong is sterile so it does not produce the messy beans that the Purple does.

I love this tree! It starts blooming in November and continues till spring. It does not make seed, therefore is not invasive and does not make a mess with seedpods.
It grows fast if given ample water and kept from freezing. A little liquid sulphur mixed with chelated iron will keep it from getting iron chlorosis. It tolerates some salt.

Has anyone out there from Berkeley, CA tried this tree? I have a protected courtyard in need of a smallish tree. I have been told this will do well for me, but am still sceptical since a few too many of my focal points are now borderline hardy for my zone 9 (sunset 17).
Will it bloom well here? Will the blooms then turn to mush in our winter rains?
Thanks!

I was wondering if anyone has heard that this tree does or doesn't fare well by the salt water environment - specifically Zone 10 and right by the bay/ocean. Has anyone had problems?

This tree is new to me. I fell in love with it at our local nursery because of the wintertime blooms! In my area, it blooms from NOVEMBER to APRIL! (space coast area of central coastal Florida between zone 9 and 10). Fast growing too.

I got a small orchid tree at the home show and I kept it potted for several years. When I finally planted it, in regular top soil, it took off. Within a year it had more that doubled in size. It is very sensitive to iron deficiency and should be treated with cheleated iron several times a year. It bloomed last May and was absolutely covered in buds. It took several weeks for the buds to open The blooms lasted about two months. It dropped all of its leaves after blooming. I don't know if that is normal or not. I fed it and now it is full and beautiful. Also, it had seed pods all over it. I was even able to start some of the seeds. This tree can handle a short freeze, but the foliage is tender.

Beautiful, profuse flowering in season. Goes to seed and makes a bit of a mess, but grows incredibly easy from seed. Green year-round in Riverside, CA.

I need help with this tree I planted 7 yrs. ago in grassy parkway. in LOS ANGELES CA. leaves are yellow with rust spots. branches are semi bare tree does bloom & flower but not full or as colorfull as others, trunk is 4 "dia , can you help
thanks, REDTOP1

About 30 years ago, B. blakeana was introduced to Winter Haven, FL by Cypress Gardens. The trees were planted all along the C.G.Boulevard. It was beautiful when they bloomed. They lasted about 10 years until we had a hard freeze. Zone 9a is NOT SUITABLE for them. They are easily propagated by air layers.
Remember, Bauhinia purpurea is considered an invasive plant in south Florida.
MotherNature4

Great looking tree, common all over southern California- easily the most commonly grown species in the US and probably the world. Seed is sterile because it is a hybrid- not a true species.

Bauhinia blakeana, the Hong Kong Orchid, can NOT be started from seed; the seed is sterile.

However, the Purple Orchid, Bauhinia purpurea can be propagated from seed. If you have viable seeds, they most likely came from B. purpurea.