Subtropical South Asian small tree with distinctive twin-lobed butterfly-shaped leaves and large orchid-like pink, mauve, or white flowers in winter and early spring on near-bare branches.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 9–11 | −6.7 °C to 10 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| RHS hardiness rating | H2 | 1 °C to 5 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 9 | −1 °C and warmer | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 4–7 | 0 °C and warmer | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
Growing notes
- Plant as a specimen flowering tree in subtropical and warm-temperate gardens — flowers in winter into early spring when most trees are bare
- Bilobed leaves are the visual identifier — like two leaves fused along one edge
- WARNING: Listed INVASIVE in parts of Florida, the Caribbean, and Hawaii — escapes gardens to seed widely, do not plant where it can escape into natural areas
- Distinct from the related Hong Kong orchid tree B. × blakeana, the sterile hybrid floral emblem of Hong Kong
- Not reliably hardy outdoors in Canada — Canadian zone values shown represent the system maximum and do not imply garden cultivation north of the warmest coastal pockets.
Categories
Related plants
Cross-check Orchid tree against your zones