In The Garden: Hong Kong orchid is showy centerpiece
Hong Kong orchid, besides being fun to say, brings to mind an exotic location and beautiful flowers. That is exactly what you get with Bauhinia blakeana (also an exotic sounding name).
A large flowering tree with a rounded spreading canopy, growing 20-40 feet in height, the Hong Kong orchid tree is composed of large, 6-inch to 8-inch in diameter gray-green leaves. But it is the beautiful display of orchid-like blooms that make the tree so desirable for the landscape. The blooms are large and showy, about 6 inches in diameter, in beautiful shades of purple, rose and pink during the summer, fall and early winter. There is also a variety where the blooms start as white and turn to pink in few days.
Since young trees can be irregularly shaped, pruning during the first several years after propagation is often needed to develop a more uniform shape. The tree is great as a specimen flowering tree in the landscape. Because it is fairly drought tolerant, it is often a flowering tree of choice for urban landscapes and roadways. The flowers are sterile and will not set seed, so the plant will not drop long pods as other orchid trees tend to do.
With the right placement, selective pruning in the early years and proper care, the Hong Kong orchid will be a showy centerpiece in your yard.
In The Garden is a joint effort by all at the local garden center, at 3889 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel. For more information, contact 239-395-5859 or visit www.facebook.com/rswalshinthegarden.