💞 Cassia or Bauhinia?

Looking for a small tree that blooms like fireworks but still fits on your patio? We hear this question all the time at Top Tropicals: Cassia or Bauhinia? Both are tropical showstoppers, but they shine in very different ways.

🌞 Cassias: Sunshine Fireworks

Cassia trees are some of the most rewarding tropical bloomers you can grow. Fast-growing, free-flowering, and surprisingly cold-tolerant, they thrive in full sun and summer heat. Their bright clusters come in shades of yellow, orange, pink, red, and even multicolor blends. The famous Rainbow Cassias show swirls of coral, gold, and rose on the same tree, creating a living fireworks display.

For gardeners in warm regions, these trees become spectacular focal points in the landscape. In containers, compact yellow forms like Cassia didymobotrya (Popcorn Cassia) and Senna alata (Empress Candles) stay manageable and bloom freely through summer.

Cassias can also be grown in pots with pruning and patience. Once mature, they reward you with breathtaking color that turns any patio or pool deck into a tropical show. Most showy cassias (numbers correspond to the photos in the collage above):

1. Cassia bicapsularis (Butterfly Bush) - is a fast-growing, low-maintenance shrub covered in bright yellow, butterfly-like blooms from fall through winter.
2. Cassia x natalensis (Rainbow Cassia)
3. Cassia grandis (Red cassia) - a medium size tree having profuse blooms of dark pink to crimson flowers throughout the Spring.
4. Cassia didymobotrya (Popcorn Cassia), small tree producing golden-yellow flowers with a distinct scent of peanut butter that open from brown buds in late summer and autumn. Similar to Senna alata (Empress Candles)
5. Cassia roxburghii (Ceylon Senna) - graceful tree with spreading, drooping branches appearing to be overweighed by its wealth of clustering red blossoms.
6. Cassia x nodosa (Pink Shower) - is a spectacular medium-sized, fast-growing tree with cascading clusters of fragrant pink-and-white appleblossom blooms in spring and summer.
7. Cassia fistula (Golden Shower) - to many tropical gardeners, the most beautiful of cassias with masses of bright gold flower clusters appear on almost every branch.
8. Cassia javanica (Apple Blossom) - dazzles with dense clusters of pink-to-white blossoms that change shades as they bloom, creating a spectacular display that lasts for months.

"Cassias love the heat and sunshine," says Tatiana Anderson, Top Tropicals Plant Expert. "They are perfect for anyone who wants big bursts of color and doesn’t mind giving them space and light to grow."

👉 Explore Cassia Trees

🦋 Bauhinia Magic: Orchid-Like Blooms in a Compact Size

Bauhinia orchid trees: top left – Bauhinia acuminata (Dwarf White Orchid Tree), middle left – Bauhinia blakeana (Hong Kong Orchid Tree), bottom left – Bauhinia monandra (Napoleon’s Plume Orchid Tree), top right – Bauhinia madagascariensis (Red Dwarf Orchid Tree), and bottom right – Bauhinia tomentosa (Yellow Orchid Tree)

Bauhinia trees known as Orchid Trees, bring a touch of tropical luxury to any space. Their butterfly-shaped leaves and orchid-like blossoms appear in shades of red, pink, purple, white, and yellow, often lasting up to ten months a year. Bauhinias are ideal for gardeners who want nonstop color in a manageable size. Most species grow well in large pots and bloom young, often within the first season.

The following compact varieties stay neat and flower almost continuously in warm weather:

• Bauhinia madagascariensis (Red Butterfly Orchid Tree). Blooms from winter through fall, up to 10 months a year. The most cold-hardy of all.
• Bauhinia blakeana (Hong Kong Orchid Tree). A large tree in the ground, but compact in pots if trimmed. Grafted trees flower right away. Winter bloomer, cold hardy to light frost.
• Bauhinia tomentosa (Yellow Orchid Tree). Flowers from Winter through Summer, cold hardy to light frost.
• Bauhinia acuminata (Dwarf White Orchid Tree). Blooms from summer through winter. Less cold hardy.
• Bauhinia monandra (Napoleon's Plume Orchid Tree). Almost everblooming with the longest flowering period. Less cold hardy.

The Hong Kong Orchid Tree is especially prized because it is sterile and produces no messy seed pods, keeping patios clean. Grafted Buhinia blakeana trees begin blooming while still small, making them perfect for containers or tight spaces.

"Bauhinias are generous bloomers," Tatiana explains. "They respond beautifully to regular feeding and full sun. If nights turn too cold, just move the pot to a sunny porch - they’ll keep their tropical charm most of the year."

Give them full sun, regular fertilizer, and a well-drained mix such as Sunshine Abundance, and they will reward you with months of vivid blooms. When nights turn too cold, simply move the pot to a sunny porch or bright window. Bauhinias adjust beautifully and keep their tropical grace year after year.

🎥 Watch Short Videos:

Cassia vs Bauhinia: everblooming container tree

Red Madagascar Orchid Tree

Napoleons Plume blooming in pots

💲 Special Offer – 20% off Cassias and Bauhinias!

Get 20% OFF Cassias and Bauhinias with code

RAINBOW2025

Min order $100. Excluding S/H, valid online only, cannot be combined with other offers.

Hurry, offer expires October 30, 2025!

👉 Explore Bauhinias - Orchid Trees

Detailed Cassia and Bauhinia Care Guide

Outdoor Care

• Light: Both Cassia and Bauhinia need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Cassias handle intense heat; Bauhinias can take light afternoon shade.
• Soil: Use loose, fast-draining soil. Mix equal parts garden soil, coarse sand, and compost.
• Watering: Keep evenly moist but never soggy. Cassias tolerate dry spells once established; Bauhinias prefer steady moisture. Water when the top inch feels dry.
• Feeding: For profuse flowering, feed with liquid Sunshine Boosters Megaflor that is safe to use with every watering, year around. You may also apply Green Magic controlled release fertilizer every 6 months. Bauhinias and Cassias respond quickly to feeding.
• Pruning: After flowering, prune lightly to shape and remove dead tips. Cassias can be trimmed to shrub form; Bauhinias stay bushy with pinching.
• Mulch: Add a 2-inch mulch layer around the base to conserve moisture and prevent weeds, but keep mulch off the trunk.
• Cold protection: Most Cassias handle brief frost; some Bauhinias like B. acuminata and B. monandra must be sheltered below freezing. For cold nights, cover with frost cloth or move containers into shelter.
• Dormancy: Outside of tropics, most Bauhinias drop leaves in winter for a short period of time, right before flowering and are called "semi-deciduous". Cassias stay evergreen.

Indoor or Porch Care (cool-climate growers)

• Container: Choose a sturdy pot with several drainage holes, one size larger than the root ball. Unglazed clay or thick plastic pots work best for heat regulation. Use a light, well-drained mix such as professional soilless mix Abundance. Both Cassias and Bauhinias dislike soggy roots. Add a thin layer of coarse gravel at the bottom to improve drainage. Repot every 1–2 years in spring
• Light: Brightest spot possible - south-facing window or heated sunroom. Supplement with a grow light if sunlight is weak.
• Temperature: Keep potted trees in warm environment for best results. The optimum temperature for Cassias and Bauhinias is between 60–85 F, although many species can tolerate cooler temperatures. Avoid cold drafts and sudden drops.
• Humidity: Average indoor humidity is fine; occasional misting keeps foliage glossy.
• Watering: Water sparingly in winter when growth slows; allow the top inch to dry between waterings. Do not let roots sit in water.
• Fertilizing: Feed with Sunshine Boosters Megaflor that is safe to use with every watering, year around, to maintain flowering indoors. You may also apply Green Magic controlled release fertilizer every 6 months.
• Pest watch: Check undersides of leaves for aphids or whitefly. A light spray of neem oil or insecticidal soap clears them fast.

"Whether you crave golden summer fireworks or soft orchid blooms that last nearly all year, both Cassia and Bauhinia bring pure joy to the garden. 💖 Bring color that never quits."

Did you know: Fall is the best planting season — roots grow faster and you’ll have flowers by spring!

✔️ Fall Planting Guide

🎥 Video: Flowering trees of Tropics

🛒 Shop Tropical Flowering trees