Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 16 Jan 2026

The most asked-about tree in the Sunshine State: Bauhinia

Purple Orchid tree - Bauhinia purpurea

🌸 The most asked-about tree in the Sunshine State: Bauhinia
  • 🌸 If you visit Florida in winter, chances are you will notice a tree covered in orchid-like flowers and wonder what it is. That tree is often an orchid tree, most commonly Bauhinia purpurea. It is fast growing, wide spreading, and blooms from late winter through spring, sometimes with a second round in summer. The flowers range from magenta to lavender, are lightly fragrant, and stand out even from a distance. The leaves are just as distinctive - split into two halves like butterfly wings, which is why these trees are also called butterfly trees.
  • 🌸 Orchid trees are easygoing and practical. They thrive in full sun, tolerate many soil types as long as drainage is good, and need little water once established. Growth is quick, often 2–3 feet per year, making them excellent shade trees for hot climates. The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, and in some cultures the buds and blossoms are used in cooking, while the bark has a long history in folk remedies. Beautiful, useful, and low maintenance, orchid trees are a perfect fit for Southern landscapes.


🛒 Discover Bauhinias - Orchid trees

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Date: 18 Mar 2025

What is in bloom right now?

Bauhinia alba (candida) - White Orchid Tree

Bauhinia alba (candida) - White Orchid Tree

What is in bloom right now?

😡 Orchid trees are among the most spectacular trees in Florida, flowering from late winter through spring. They are fast-growing, not fussy about soil or water, and bloom for several weeks in a stunning display of white, purple, pink, or red flowers.

📸 Bauhinia alba (candida) - White Orchid Tree - the most cold-hardy of all Bauhinias, tolerating temperatures as low as 26F. You can see them in full bloom across Florida right now!

📚 Orchid trees from previous posts:

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#Hedges_with_benefits #Trees #Butterfly_Plants

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Date: 9 Jul 2024

How to grow Orchid Trees in pots

Orchid Trees in pots

🌸 How to grow Orchid Trees in pots

Everyone loves beautiful Orchid trees with butterfly-like leaves and colorful orchid-like flowers. They are widely used in Southern landscapes. But what if you don't have a room in your garden for another tree? Or what if it gets too cold in winter for a tropical Orchid tree? You can grow it in a pot!

📝 This is how to n enjoy the stunning flowers and foliage of Bauhinia right on your patio or balcony:
  • 💠 Choose the right variety. Some species suitable for containers:

  • B. galpinii, B. madagascariensis, B. monandra, B. alba (candida), B. acuminata, B. bidentata, B. blakeana, B. grandidieri and many others.
  • 💠 Choose the right pot: Select a large, sturdy pot with good drainage holes. Bauhinia trees have a vigorous root system
  • 💠 Use a well-draining potting mix. We recommend a professional soilless mix: Sunshine Abundance.
  • 💠 Sunny location: Position the pot in a location that receives full sun to partial shade. Bauhinia plants thrive in warm, sunny conditions.
  • 💠 Watering: Keep the soil slightly moist but not waterlogged. Water the plant when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.
  • 💠 Fertilizing: For the most profuse flowering like in the video, feed the Bauhinia with liquid Sunshine Boosters Megaflor year around, it's safe with every watering.
  • 💠 Pruning: Prune the plant to maintain its shape and encourage bushier growth.
  • 💠 Winter Care: If you live in a region with cold winters, bring the pot indoors or to a sheltered location to protect the plant from frost.


📸 Bauhinia monandra - Napoleons Plume Orchid Tree, starts flowering when only 2 ft tall and grows well in containers.

📚 Earlier posts on Bauhinias: 1 2 3
Bauhinias: trees with Orchid Flowers and Butterfly Wings

🛒 Shop Orchid Trees

#Container_Garden #How_to

🏵 TopTropicals

Date: 1 Jul 2025

Napoleons Plume - Orchid Tree that blooms in a pot

Bauhinia monandra - Napoleons Plume Orchid Tree in bloom

🌸 Napoleons Plume - Orchid Tree that blooms in a pot
  • Bauhinia monandra - Napoleons Plume Orchid Tree - is a breathtaking tropical tree with flowers that truly resemble delicate orchids, and leaves folding like butterfly wings. It is one of he most impressive varieties of orchid trees.
  • Each blossom starts off pale yellow and transforms to soft pink by the next day, with the center petal beautifully streaked in magenta - a unique color shift that makes the tree look like it's blooming in multiple shades at once. When in bloom, it's covered in these showy flowers, creating a dazzling display.
  • Despite its exotic look, this tree is surprisingly well-suited for containers. It can be easily kept trimmed and compact, with seedlings often blooming when just 2 feet tall. While it's sensitive to cold, growing it in a container makes it easy to move indoors during chilly weather. This makes Bauhinia monandra the perfect choice for gardeners who want a tropical tree that delivers nonstop visual impact in a manageable size.
  • How to enjoy the orchid flowers and butterfly foliage of Bauhinia right on your patio or balcony? Choose the right variety. More bauhinia species suitable for containers: B. galpinii, B. madagascariensis, B. monandra, B. alba (candida), B. acuminata, B. bidentata, B. blakeana, B. grandidieri and many others.


🛒 Shop Orchid Trees

📚 Learn more about Orchid trees:

#Container_Garden #How_to #Trees

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Date: 17 Oct 2024

Do you have a spot for pure white and elegant?

Bauhinia acuminata - Dwarf White Orchid Tree

🕊 Do you have a spot for pure white and elegant?
  • Bauhinia acuminata - Dwarf White Orchid Tree - is a true gem for any garden! This charming small tree flaunts pure white, orchid-like flowers that bring a delicate beauty to sunny or semi-shaded spaces.
  • Despite its smaller size, it's a standout with its lovely, five-petaled blooms and graceful, rounded leaves.
  • Ideal for compact gardens or even containers, the Dwarf White Orchid Tree creates a tropical, elegant atmosphere while being easy to care for.
  • With its bright, long-lasting blooms, this tree is sure to capture your heart!


📚 Learn more about Orchid trees from previous posts:

🛒 Shop Orchid Trees

#Hedges_with_benefits #Trees #Butterfly_Plants

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