Bauhinia × blakeana is a natural hybrid between B. purpurea and B. variegata. This tree’s slender trunk, gray-green canopy, and vibrant blooms create a serene and picturesque profile. Its broad leaves are bi-lobed, resembling butterfly wings. This foliage drops briefly before flowering, and the abundant, large, orchid-like blooms are exceptional, lasting throughout the summer, fall, and early winter. This sterile hybrid produces no fruit, which reduces its litter and invasive potential. It is drought-tolerant once established and develops a shrub-like habit in cooler regions.

Native Range: Horticultural Hybrid

Horticultural use: Specimen Tree, Street Tree, Screen or Flowering Tree

Ethnobotanical Info / Tree Use: The Hong Kong Orchid Tree was first cultivated in Hong Kong, where it is now recognized as the emblematic flower of the territory. It is commonly planted as an ornamental street tree through Asia and the tropics. (E. Gilman & Watson, 2022; Mak et al., 2008)

Tree Shape: Rounded
Foliage Type: Partly Deciduous
Maximum Tree Height: 40 feet
Canopy Width: 20-25feet
Growth Rate: ~12-24in/year
Leaf Arrangement and Form: Alternate and Simple
Leaf Shape: Oval
Leaf Color: Green
Fall Color: No
Flowers: Showy, Fragrant
Flower Color: Pink, Purple or Rose
Flower Time: Fall, Spring or Summer
Fruit Size and Color: null0
Bark Color: Light Gray
Bark Texture: Smooth and Furrowed
Litter Type: Leaves and Flowers

Recommended Planting Area: 4′ to 7′
Water Use Rating: Medium
Sunset Climate Zone: 13, 19, 21, 23 – 24, H1 and H2
Soil Texture: Loam, Clay or Sand
Soil pH: Acidic to Alkaline
Salt Tolerance: Low
Schoolyard Trees: No
Shade Tolerance: No

Branch Strength: Medium Weak
Root Damage Potential: Low
Potential health issues: None Known
Wildlife Interactions: Attracts Birds, Bees, Butterflies and Hummingbirds
Disease and Pest Susceptibility: Leaf Spot, Aphids and Chinese Rose Beetles
Utility Friendly: No