What kind of woody plant is the Hong Kong orchid tree?

Hong Kong orchid tree family and genus

Fabaceae, Fabales, Bauhinia blakeana

Hong Kong orchid tree aliases

Hong Kong orchid tree, Bauhinia blakeana; Latin scientific name: Bauhinia blakeana Dunn

Hong Kong orchid tree distribution

The Hong Kong orchid tree is mostly distributed in southern China, existing as a street tree in many cities. Because of its gaudy flowers and graceful tree shape, it is deeply loved by local people; in 1965 it was chosen as the city flower of Hong Kong, China, and in 1990 it was designated as the pattern for the regional flag and regional emblem of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Hong Kong orchid tree morphological characteristics

Evergreen tree, tree height 6-10 m. The leaves are round or kidney-shaped, with two lobes at the apex, the cleft rounded and blunt, resembling a sheep's hoof; the upper surface is hairless, the lower surface sparsely covered with short soft hairs, leathery to the touch, usually wider than long; the tree has many branches, and the twigs are slender and hairy; red or purple panicles, a single flower about the size of a palm, with a floral fragrance similar to that of orchids. The bark is dark brown and nearly smooth. The flowering period is from November to April of the following year, with March being the peak.

Hong Kong orchid tree growth habits

The Hong Kong orchid tree likes high temperatures and a humid, rainy climate, and is not very cold-tolerant, but it can overwinter in areas south of the Tropic of Cancer in China; it likes a nutrient-rich acidic soil environment, and likes water but fears waterlogging.