Hong Kong Orchid Tree in Perth — Rose-Purple Orchid Flowers and an Extraordinary Story
 
The Hong Kong Orchid Tree (Bauhinia × blakeana) is one of the most beautiful and historically fascinating flowering trees available in Perth — a natural hybrid discovered growing wild in Hong Kong in 1880 that went on to become the floral emblem of Hong Kong, featured on the city's flag, coins, and emblem. Today every Hong Kong Orchid Tree in the world is descended from cuttings taken from that single original tree — making this one of the most extraordinary botanical stories in the history of ornamental horticulture.
 
Spectacular Orchid-Like Flowers Autumn Through Winter
 
The Hong Kong Orchid Tree earns its name from its extraordinary flowers — large, fragrant, deeply rose-purple blooms up to 15cm across with five overlapping petals that bear a striking resemblance to orchid flowers. Unlike most flowering trees that bloom in spring, the Hong Kong Orchid Tree flowers from autumn through winter in Perth — from around April through to August — filling the garden with colour and fragrance during the months when most other ornamental trees are bare.
 
The flowers are exceptionally long-blooming — lasting several months rather than the brief week or two of most spring-flowering trees — making this one of the most rewarding flowering trees for sustained colour in the Perth garden through the cooler months.
 
Sterile — Which Means No Mess
 
As a sterile hybrid the Hong Kong Orchid Tree produces no seeds and no seed pods — a practical advantage over other Bauhinia varieties that drop long, untidy pods requiring clean-up. The distinctive large bilobed leaves — shaped like a butterfly's wings — are grey-green and provide an attractive dense canopy through the warmer months, with some leaf drop around flowering time in autumn which is normal.
 
Key Features at a Glance
Mature height: 5 – 6 metres
Mature width: 4 – 5 metres
Aspect: Full sun to part shade
Soil: Well-drained, fertile soils
Semi-evergreen: Yes — some leaf drop around flowering time
Flowers: Large fragrant rose-purple orchid-like blooms 10-15cm, autumn to winter
Seed pods: None — sterile hybrid, no mess
Drought tolerant: Yes once established
Frost tender: Protect from heavy frost — Perth's climate is ideal
Best suited to: Feature specimen trees, medium to large Perth gardens, parks, coastal Perth gardens
 
Growing Hong Kong Orchid Tree in Perth
 
Plant in full sun to part shade in well-drained fertile soil. Perth's warm climate is ideal for the Hong Kong Orchid Tree — it thrives in the heat and handles Perth's dry summers well once established. Water regularly while establishing and during extended dry periods. As the tree matures the limbs tend to droop gracefully — occasional light pruning to maintain clearance beneath the canopy is all that's usually needed.
 
Protect from heavy frost while young — once established it handles mild frost but Perth's climate rarely presents this as an issue.
 
Best Suited To
Feature specimen trees in medium to large Perth suburban gardens
Winter colour — flowers when most other Perth trees are dormant
Coastal Perth gardens — tolerates coastal conditions well
Parks, streetscapes, and open spaces across WA
Anyone wanting spectacular fragrant flowers through Perth's autumn and winter months
 
Order Your Hong Kong Orchid Tree Online
 
Perth Trees Direct delivers healthy, established Hong Kong Orchid Trees direct to your door across the Perth metro area. Professional planting and installation can be added using the dropdown above. Contact us at info@perthtreesdirect.com.au if you have any questions about whether the Hong Kong Orchid Tree is right for your Perth garden.