Other Names:  Red Orchid Bush, Pride of De Kaap

Description:

This shrubby variety can be pruned and maintained as a small tree; interesting orchid like salmon red flowers in summer and fall over deeply lobed, heart shaped leaves; tends to be deciduous in early spring; great for the back of borders or for screening

Ornamental Features

Red Bauhinia features showy clusters of salmon orchid-like flowers with red overtones at the ends of the branches from late summer to early winter. It has attractive dark green deciduous foliage. The heart-shaped leaves are highly ornamental but do not develop any appreciable fall color.

Landscape Attributes

Red Bauhinia is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Red Bauhinia is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Red Bauhinia will grow to be about 10 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America.

Red Bauhinia makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Its large size and upright habit of growth lend it for use as a solitary accent, or in a composition surrounded by smaller plants around the base and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.