Bauhinia Purpurea
(Family: Caesalpinioideae / Caesalpiniaceae) - Orchid Tree, Butterfly Tree
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Sansar Greentech (P) Ltd (End -To - End Landscape Solutions) |
An ISO 9001: 2000 Company |
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Bauhinia Purpurea
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| Nice landscape tree, good shade tree for summer. Bauhinias were named in honor of the brothers Bauhin, Swiss botanists of the 16th-17th century. Their characteristic twin lobed leaves give them a definite tropical look. Sensitive to chlorosis, treat with iron chelate. Although not generally necessary, they can be pruned after flowering. Flowers are fragrant. The name Bauhinia was given as this formation suggested the 16th century herbalists Jan and Caspar Bauhin. The Mountain Ebony is one of the loveliest of Indian trees. It is a medium-sized tree with a dark-brown, smoothies bark. The leaves fall during the cold season and at the same time the large, sweetly-scented flowers appear. Some trees have been noted which retain their leaves on a few of the branches but on such trees the flower sprays are borne only on the leafless branches. The large flowers grow in short sprays bearing two or three blooms, either from the ends of the branches or from the axils of the leaves. Their curved petals emerge from brown, ribbed calices which split and bend as the pointed bud protrudes. These, as also the buds and stems, are covered with a fine, silver down. Five, long, arched stamens, terminating in large anthers, are surrounded by long, pointed petals, narrowing at the base. Each petal is delicately veined and one or two are smudged at the base with a deeper color. The flowers may be magenta, mauve, pink or white, the former three having crimson markings, the latter a striking yellow splash on one or more of the petals. The long, narrow pods are often as much as 1 foot in length and contain ten to fifteen seeds. These ripen in May and June after the flowering season is over. Young pods, also leaves and buds, are utilized as vegetables. The leaves are from 3 to 6 inches long and as broad, are cleft at the apex, forming two rounded lobes and grow alternately along the twigs on 1 inch stalks. From the base, the veins spread out fan-wise and the leaf is more or less folded along the centre rib. The tree yields a useful gum and from the seeds an oil is obtained. The wrappings of biddies are made from the leaves and the bark is used for tanning and dyeing, also as fibers. The timber is good and as many parts of the tree have medicinal uses, it is planted for its value as well as for its extreme beauty. |
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