Orchid Tree (Bauhinia monandra): Butterfly Leaves and Pink Flowers

Orchid tree, or Bauhinia monandra, is a small tropical tree with distinctive butterfly-shaped leaves and showy pink orchid-like flowers, native to Madagascar but widely cultivated.

Botanical Profile

Description and Features

This semi-evergreen tree grows 15–20 feet tall. Leaves are deeply bilobed, resembling a butterfly or heart. Flowers are pink with red streaks, 3–4 inches wide, orchid-like, appearing in clusters. Fruit is a flat, brown pod.

Cultivation and Uses

Orchid tree prefers full sun, well-drained soil, and frost-free climates. It is used as a specimen, in parks, and as a street tree in tropics. It can be messy with falling flowers and pods.

Note

Many Bauhinia species are called orchid trees; this one has a single fertile stamen (monandra).