The orchid tree (Bauhinia variegata) is a handsome, small flowering tree from India which has made itself at home in equatorial areas throughout the world.
Called other picturesque names like mountain ebony, bull-hoof, and Napoleon’s hat, the most commonly used everyday name, orchid tree, alludes to the graceful flowers which resemble orchids.
If the species name variegata is puzzling to some, it was given by the Swedish botanist Linnaeus, because the flowers vary considerably in color.
Appealing Appearance
Stiff and scented, these may be rosy-lavender or white, with four petals of one color and, the fifth, a deeper shade.
Blossoms measure 3″ to 4″ inches across and appear after the old leaves have fallen.
Interesting about the leaves is their two-lobed character, which makes them look like twin leaflets joined together at one side.
After the flowers, long pods appear on this member of the legume family, ranging in length from six inches to two feet. Hard, flat, and an inch wide, they enclose 10 to 15 seeds.
Native Ornamental Tree
In India, where the orchid tree is native, it is a much-used specimen for street and boulevard planting.
Still, in all tropical regions of the globe, visitors may enjoy the attractive flowers of this showy ornamental tree with much to recommend.
The name “Bauhinia” is in honor of two French brothers, John and Caspar Bauhin, pioneers of plant study, who lived and worked four centuries ago.
It was their countryman, Charles Plumier, who dedicated the genus Bauhinia in their joint memory many years after their death.
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