Bauhinia Species, Anacacho Bauhinia, Chihuahua Orchid Tree, Texas Plume

These trees grow very easily- although do not transplant well. out of a pot into the earth okay but if seed sets itself and sprouts eith...Read Moreer leave it or figure it will die if you try to move it.
they love acid fertilizer and also will sunburn slightly at first if from nursery, and they do love shade in Az. will do wonderful if given loads of water in summer months- I have mine on the northern exposure of my house so most of the tree gets shade but the top of the tree is now over the roofline and i have pruned it to reach over and up to keep it off the roof.
This one froze back this year with the temperature dropping to 25 or so so it browned out but all new leaves are sprouting forth and i am just now hitting it with fertilizer for the season.

The vote's still out on this one. I've had it in a pot for a couple of years due to severe drought in t his area, but it shows severe ch...Read Morelorosis (maybe from our sweet water) as mentioned above in another note. It blooms frequently, all summer on the gulf coast as I've heard it does in Houston. It sounds like a plant for a more acid, semitropical area to me although the way the clusters of blooms sit on the tops of the drooping stems like doves may make it a keeper in spite of its chlorotic tendencies and frost tenderness. It may be worth the trouble of acidifying the soil and throwing some mulch over it in winter. It's certainly a great candidate for tub planting because of its small size. The pleated seed pods are a treat in themselves for a seed freak like me.

This plant which is native to Mexico is rarely seen in the United States and is hard to find if one wishes to buy one.

B. acuminata, like other members of its genus, will begin to grow weakly in soil with a pH above 7.5 or so; it exhibits interveinal chlor...Read Moreosis (iron deficiency) in alkaline conditions. While non-invasive, it will still sucker freely; this, along with its drooping habit (requiring regular pruning to keep the crown strong) and seed/leaf drop, make it high-maintenance and unsuitable for high-traffic areas.

The Anacacho orchid tree is also known as Texas plume (Texasplume) anad Pata de Vaca. A semi-evergreen (in mild winters it retains its l...Read Moreeaves) to deciduous tree or shrub, it is hardy to 15°F (-9°C). It is a primitive angiosperm (thought to be a remnant of prehistoric times) and provides light to medium shade. In Texas, it is is native to the Anacacho Mountains of Kinney County, Texas as well as to a small area along the Devil’s River. It also inhabits northeastern Mexico (state of Coahuila). Anacacho orchid, in its native habitat, grows on rocky limestone canyons.

Because it is more readily available from specialty nurseries than it used to be, it can be found as a cultivated plant in many central and south Texas landscapes. Anacacho orchid tree does best in full sun to bright shade; however, it is bushier and fuller in full sun. It needs well drained soil and an area without a sprinkler system. If you live in Zone 8a, plant it where it will receive south wall protection and mulch around it just in case an unusually harsh winter occurs. A relatively fast grower and drought resistant once established, it has no serious disease or insect problems. Although deer resistant, it will need to be caged to prevent bark damage from rubbing.

The foliage is interesting, as the leaves are divided into pairs of two oval leaflets which resemble cloven hooves. White or pink (rare), fragrant, orchid-like flowers cover the plant in spring (in Texas, March through May) and sporadically throughout the year especially after a rain. I have seen one specimen near downtown San Antonio, Texas that receives no supplemental water that blooms March through October. However from a distance, the flowers appear to be much smaller in the later months because there may be only one bloom instead of a large crowded cluster of blooms and/or the blooms are smaller.

This is a wonderful lanscape or patio tree which attracts butterflies. Anacacho orchid also attracts honeybees which usually are harmless and do not seem to mind sharing the blooms with humans. It can be used in rock gardens, xeriscapes and wildscapes.

This is a beautiful, non-invasive, small ornamental tree, originally from Asia. Does well in a semi-tropical, humid climate.