Phanera purpurea Seeds | Purple Orchid Tree
LATIN NAME: Phanera purpurea
COMMON NAME: Purple Orchid Tree, Purple Bauhinia, Camel’s Foot
Plant Profile
Purple Orchid Tree (Phanera purpurea) is a tree in the legume family (Fabaceae), native to indian subcontinent and myanmar, it has been widely planted across tropical and subtropical world as a street tree and garden ornamental. Leaves are distinctive and instantly recognisable — two-lobed and shaped like a butterfly’s wings or a camel’s footprint, giving tree its common names of butterfly tree and camel’s foot. It grows as a small to medium-sized, semi-evergreen tree with a broad, spreading crown, reaching ten metres in favourable conditions, and after flowers come long, flat, brown pods containing several hard seeds. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil in frost-free climates. Mature plants top out at about Ten metres. Its open flowers are a reliable stop for bees and other pollinating visitors. For the small amount of care it requires, the return is remarkable.
Science & Biotechnology
Like other members of the legume family, Phanera purpurea draws steady attention from botanists and plant breeders, who value the genus both as a subject of research and as a source of garden-worthy material. Orchid tree has a genuine and distinguished place in both horticultural and chemical research. The upshot for anyone sowing it is reassurance — cultivated stock of this plant has a long, well-documented track record.
Uses & Benefits
Purple Orchid Tree works well in borders, containers and dedicated beds. Ecologically, orchid tree is a generous tree of warm world. Its large, fragrant blooms feed bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, and its butterfly-shaped leaves and its leafy crown give shelter, while it is a beloved presence in streets, parks and gardens of the tropics. In later seasons it demands little more than an appreciative eye.
A tree like this repays patience for decades: it cools and shelters its surroundings, hosts birds and insects, and stores carbon in timber that outlives its planter.
Growing from Seed
Raising Purple Orchid Tree from seed is straightforward. Sow the seed evenly over the surface and cover lightly, using a loose, well-drained seed compost, and keep it just moist in full sun until the seedlings are well up. Prick the seedlings out once they are large enough to handle, grow them on in bright light, and plant out when conditions allow.
Our Take
Purple Orchid Tree repays a little patience at sowing time with plenty of garden presence later.
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