Bauhinia variegata - Orchid tree

Bauhinia variegata is commonly nicknamed the Orchid Tree due to its flowering. Its tropical appearance is highly prized in the gardens of the French Riviera. It forms a small tree with a conical to more or less rugular, rounded habit. Its green, mostly evergreen leaves are curiously bilobed. But it is its flowering that attracts the most attention when the large flowers appear, in varying shades of pink depending on the specimen. The tree is at its peak beauty between the end of winter and the beginning of summer. it is not very hardy, it appreciates full sun and moist, well-drained soils, but tolerates drier conditions once well-rooted.

Bauhinia belongs to the very extensive Fabaceae family (formerly Leguminosae), rich with nearly 23,000 species, divided into three subfamilies! It includes food plants (peas, beans...) and wild or ornamental plants, such as the tall Black Locust or the charming little Coronilla. The Bauhinia genus itself is extremely prolific with nearly 570 species distributed in warm temperate to tropical zones of both hemispheres. Bauhinia variegata is native to China, India, Burma, and Pakistan, where it forms small, 12 to 15 m tall trees. In regions with hot, dry summers, it behaves as deciduous, shedding its leaves to rest during this stressful period.
On the Mediterranean coast, it typically reaches 6 m in height with a 4 m spread after about ten years of cultivation, and older specimens can reach up to 10 m in height. The tree has a more or less broad conical habit, with a relatively rounded crown, but often slightly irregular when not pruned, giving it a quite natural silhouette that is easy to integrate into a garden. It sometimes forms a short trunk but more often develops several axes like a large bush. It is well-branched and forms rather dense foliage, bearing numerous leaves with a very easily identifiable morphology. Slightly cordate at the base (forming a heart on either side of the petiole), the leaf blades are almost round, but the part opposite the petiole is incised for about a quarter, giving two symmetrical lobes. For this reason, the English common name is "Camel's Foot". The leaves are quite large, measuring 8 to 15 cm in diameter. The dark green foliage highlights the flowering. Most often, the foliage persists in winter, but if colder than usual, it may fall. In this case, flowering appears on the still bare wood in late winter, before the emergence of young leaves. 
The large, 8 to 12 cm diameter flowers are gathered in small numbers on clusters. They consist of 5 petals, the most vertical one often being more intensely coloured than the others. The fully open flower has up to 10 protruding stamens, only 5 of which are fertile. Curved upwards, they contribute to the flower's aesthetics. In most specimens, they are bright pink, but variations in colour intensity are possible from one plant to another. The flowering is both abundant and perpetual until early summer, making this Bauhinia one of the most beautiful flowering trees for mild climates. The flowers have a slight, pleasant fragrance and are followed by the formation of long, flat, brown, 15 to 18 cm long pods with no ornamental interest.

The Orchid Tree is perfect for giving a tropical feel to a Mediterranean coastal garden. Pair it with other themed plants to create an exotic and ornamental scene. Plant at its base a Strelitzia reginae or Bird of Paradise, whose flower evokes a tropical bird with a long beak topped by an orange tuft for a stunning effect. Sesbania punicea, or Scarlet Wisteria, which lives up to its name with its bright red flowers, will also be a good companion in the bed. Of course, your scene would be incomplete without one or two Banana Trees or Syagrus romanzoffiana, a superb palm tree with a striking resemblance to a coconut tree with its magnificent divided foliage.