\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. This article was co-authored by Matt Bowman and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. HOURS: Monday . Ensuring orchids get just the right amount of water, without over or underwatering is the biggest challenge for orchid plant parents. In 1965 the Hong Kong orchid was chosen to be the city flower of Hong Kong. Reserve your Hong Kong Orchid Today. Hong Kong Orchid Tree is a multi-stemmed evergreen tree with an upright spreading habit of growth. If you want a spectacular flowering season, cool them off during winter and house them somewhere with temps closer to 55F. Desert Horizon Nursery is locally owned and operated. According to another story, the plant was actually named after . The shape and colors of the flowers are very similar to orchids. One of the most beautiful Florida flowering trees, this is an ideal mid-size tree for snowbirds because of its winter color. CARE Care Requires moist, fertile, well-drained soil. To return the orchid to full, good health, follow up with adjustments to its care schedule. The hole should be three times the diameter of the nursery pot and at least an inch deeper. A beautiful tree that will reward you with abundant flowers. The genus was named after the Bauhin brothers Gaspard and Johann, Swiss-French botanists.. The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Bauhinia (/ b o h n i /) is a large genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Cercidoideae and tribe Bauhinieae, in the large flowering plant family Fabaceae, with a pantropical distribution. In most areas, this schedule will be every other day through the summer heat and less frequently during fall and winter. Orchid Tree. A boggy root zone brings on root rot and invites pests. RF 2C9MGD1 - Pink Flowering Bauhinia Blakeana commonly called the Hong Kong orchid tree. The orchid should slide out easily in your hand. This is true for most terrestrial orchids, like the non-mottled, cool-growing species in thePaphiopedilumgenus. Can you grow Hong Kong orchid trees in containers? Water your orchids just before the potting mix dries out. Fertilizing and Growth Rate West-facing windows are usually too hot for orchids, but with some filtering (again, a sheer curtain is your friend), you can sometimes make them work. the Purple does. 1) The orchid trees need a sunny location. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Of course, the amount of water your orchids need can vary based on room temperature, light, humidity, and the type of growing media (moss holds onto moisture longer than bark chips). The gist of this process is to cut and peel off the bark of a . Most orchids are tropical plants, but that doesn't mean they need rain forest humidity to grow in your home. They are also somewhat susceptible to leaf spot and leaf scorch. If you want to grow these fresh flowers, orchids are really easy to keep as houseplants under the right conditions. Barbara Gillette is a master gardener, herbalist, beekeeper, and journalist. If your little tree stops growing or shows any sign of distress, consider those as indicators that it's ready for a new home. If your first attempt fails, you may want to apply rooting hormone to the branch before wrapping it with peat moss. Bauhinia forficata (pictured above) is similar to the common purple orchid in all ways except that it produces white blooms. The plant may be stunted, show no signs of new growth, or fail to bloom entirely. All this said, hungry or curious pets left in the yard are liable to munch on just about anything they find. Native to southeast Asia, these plants grow in all manner of climatesfrom hot, wet lowlands to high . Leaves are consisting of 2 broad leaflets, that are fused together along the inner edges. This will ensure the fertilizer starts to feed the tree and enrich the soil and is not washed away too quickly by rain. Make sure the room your orchids are in receives circulation, or set an overhead fan to low if it doesnt. Hong Kong Orchid Tree. I've noticed all over central phoenix . Personalize it. Exceptionally long-blooming, the sterile flowers produce no seedpods, unlike Purple Orchid Tree (B. purpurea). hole an inch or two recessed so that a watering basin is formed. If the medium is tightly packed and the plant rootbound, remove some of the potting material by hand, or gently shake the pot to release loose material. The lovely Hong Kong Orchid Tree is a winter delight. Much like the snowbirds, the tree begins to bloom in November, just after they arrive. Bauhinia blakeana, commonly called the Hong Kong Orchid Tree, [1] is a legume tree of the genus Bauhinia, with large thick leaves and striking purplish red flowers. This tree is best grown in loamy, sandy soil that is slightly acidic. Regular maintenance to keep your yard clear of too much decaying debris is important to avoid rotting organic matter that can damage grass or attract unwanted bugs. of 1 A Hong Kong orchid tree grows just behind Ranger Base at the Safari Park. Neutral: On Mar 27, 2010, encanto from Phoenix, AZ wrote: i planted my hong kong orchid tree 3 years ago and it is healthy and green. Run tepid water run through the pot for one minute. All plants can be watered with ice cubes, but it is not always practical. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Next, wrap the cut area first in pre-moistened peat moss, then in plastic wrap secured by ties or bands. Enjoy! The concept of watering orchids with ice cubes may seem counterintuitive because plants from tropical regions generally don't do well with freezing temperatures. The Hong Kong orchid tree tolerates a range of light conditions. We recommend choosing a full-to-part sun location, and make sure you have well-drained soil. BHG / Juli Lopez-Castillo. Maintain a temperature between 6085F (1629C). Arrive just in time to see the first blooms burst forth and enjoy their sweet scent until it's time to head back north in the spring. The vast majority of epiphytic orchids live in climates that are generally mild year-round, making them perfect candidates for indoor living. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. Pull out the remaining seedlings 2. Partially deciduous for a short period. long (15-20 cm), deeply cleft at the apex and base, and resembling butterfly wings. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. With its dramatic foliage and long-blooming colorful flowers, the Hong Kong orchid tree (Bauhinia blakeana) makes a very striking specimen planting in warm, arid climates. At this time, you can bump it up to the next size grow pot. This orchid tree produces big, six inch orchid flowers that range from dark red.magenta to purple. Why Is Paulownia Known As The Tree Of The Future? Taking a peek at the roots is an easy way to tell. Growing 20 to 40 feet in height, Hong Kong Orchid-Tree creates a rounded, spreading canopy composed of large, six to eight-inch-diameter, gray/green leaves (Fig. . They reach 20 to 35 feet tall and wide, and treat viewers to pink or purple flowers that are two to three inches in diameter. Since these orchids dont live in the soil, they dont receive large amounts of nutrients. trees are propagated from seeds. Also, remember that it does not produce seed pods. These orchids tend to make excellent candidates for growing indoors where the temperature is nearly uniform year-round. Otherwise, moisture can seep into the pot and drown the roots over time. Hydrogen peroxide is an oxygen-based disinfectant that helps prevent fungal infections. Five Months of Vibrant Winter Flowers Bring your winter landscape to life with the large, pinkish-purple blooms of the Hong Kong Orchid Tree. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. These species generally inhabit subtropical and temperate climates, where they enter winter dormancy, and wake up during late winter-early spring, with new growth emerging after their winter rest. Treat cuts with hydrogen peroxide. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. % of people told us that this article helped them. Care and Placement Hong Kong Orchid Trees, or Bauhinia blakeana, reach up to 40 feet, so you'll need to give them lots of room to spread out. If you haven't tried growing an orchid before, stick to something simple, like a moth orchid, before working your way up to more high maintenance varieties. This tree should do fine wherever it is planted, regardless of soil type, but it will be happiest in a similarly acidic and sandy spot. ", a few days, the blooms limped and dropped. Trees Tropicals and Tender Perennials Water Requirements: Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater Sun Exposure: Full Sun Sun to Partial Shade Light Shade Foliage: Deciduous Smooth Velvet/Fuzzy Foliage Color: Medium Green Height: 30-40 ft. (9-12 m) Spacing: 30-40 ft. (9-12 m) Hardiness: USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 C (25 F) Hong Kong orchid trees are sterile, so they don't produce those pods like other orchid trees. Hong Kong orchid trees are propagated vegetatively while Purple orchid trees are propagated from seeds. Temperature: Cymbidium orchids prefer temperatures between 55F and 75F, with a 10 to 15 degree drop in temperature at night. A thorough watering 24 hours before pruning plumps up the roots which helps you determine where to prune and how much to remove. 1). Hardiness zones: 9B-11. It does, however, produce a moderate amount of litter from fallen flowers and leaves later in the season. Avoid exposing the plant to temperatures below 40F. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. Step 7:Build a berm (artificial ditch) about 3 inch tall around the base of the tree with a 12 inch diameter and fill it up with water. This broadleaf specimen is a hybrid multitrunked semi-evergreen flowering tree that has an umbrella-like form along with an irregular crown. Better Homes & Gardens - 100 years of powering your passions at home, Should You Use Snow to Water Your Houseplants? Great choice for flamboyant yard or garden tree. Healthy roots should be swollen and firm, green or silvery gray green with a darker tip. Orchid trees can be grown as shrubs or a tree. Water your orchid whenever the soil feels dry, and fertilize it with a 10-10-10 fertilizer once a month while its flowering. Water the orchid tree regularly during the summer. Hong Kong orchid tree (Bauhinia blakeana) Care Guide Hong Kong orchid tree is a showy plant prized for its attractive, orchid-like blooms. Hong Kong Orchid trees or Bauhinia x Blakeana have largescented pink to purple flowers in Spring-Summer. Water your orchid when the soil has almost dried out completely. Clean, sterilize and dry the pot, or choose a new pot, thenrepot the orchidusing fresh materials. Since they're unique, you can display them in fun ways, like creating hanging planters to show off their eye-catching blooms. Two tips for houseplant watering success: only water if the soil is dry to the touch and allow excess water to drain out of the root zone after watering. 2) Only a few hours of limited sunshine per day are not enough; the plant is allowed full sun. Deep rose-red, orchid-shaped blooms have a touch of white. This can vary based on the humidity, light, air movement, and potting mix its roots are growing in. Something unusual about this tree is that it's a winter bloomer: It offers a rich splash of color against the bleakness of deciduous trees that have shed their leaves from December through April. Hong Kong orchid trees are propagated vegetatively while Purple orchid Bauhinia tomentosa is an even smaller shrub with a maximum height of 6 feet. will encourage the plant to develop deeper roots, making the plant tougher when the weather That's a purple orchid tree. These charming trees have unique bi-lobed leaves that actually look like resting butterflies. These trees are great and are more common in central Phoenix because they can sometimes be difficult to grow in the beginning. Open 9am . Trim off any fast-growing, leggy growth . Why You Need a Moringa Oleifera In Your Garden. The leaves on this tree gray/green leaves (Fig. water from accumulating around the roots. 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