Edible: Flowers, Leaves, Buds, Fruit, Pods, Seeds, Gum
A tree. It loses its leaves during the dry season of the year. It grows to a height of 8-12 m tall and spreads to 5 m across. The stem is erect and straight. The leaves are entire to the midpoint, then divided into 2 lobes. The leaves are 10-20 cm long and 10-15 cm across. The base of the leaves is heart shaped. They are dull blue-green. The veins radiate from the base of the leaf. The leaf stalk is 2-3 cm long. The flowers are pink to purple with 5 club-shaped petals. One petal is a different shape and colour. They are produced on stalks around a flowering stalk at the end of branches. The flowers are 8-12 cm across. The fruit are pods. They are 20-30 cm long and 1.5-2.5 cm wide. They are flat and brown and twist as they open. There are 10-15 seeds. The seeds are round and flat and 1 cm across.
A tropical plant. The minimum temperature is 7°C. They cannot tolerate salt spray. It grows naturally in deciduous forest between 500 and 1500 m altitude. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 9-10. In Yunnan.
Common Names: Bhosa, Bunga kupu kupu, Butterfly bush, Camel-foot tree, Champa, Chingthrao, Chuvannamandaram, Dhaonro pump, Dork ban, Ger her por, Greainblack, Guiral, Hoa ban, Kachnar, Kalshiya, Kalyar, Kanaraj, Kanchan, Kanchanar, Kanchavala, Kaniar, Karial, Katyalae, Kerale, Kha-la, Khwairal, Kiorala, Koilar, Koilara, Koiralo, Kulyar, Kurial, Kurol, Kutchnar, Mahul, Malungarh, Mandari, Mogar, Mountain ebony, Okjok, Orchid tree, Pacham, Pachem, Padrian, Paj haum tsav, Pawangma, Phar-kung, Phum, Pink bauhinia, Pink camel's-foot, Pohon bauhinia talikancu merah, Raktakanchan, Segapumanchori, Sheep's foot, Sieo-dok-khao, Taki, Tapak kerbau, Variegated bauhinia, Vaube, White bauli, Yangtijia
Synonyms:
Possibly Perlebia variegata (Linn.) Schmitz.;
Bauhinia candida Aiton;
Bauhinia chinensis (DC.) Vogel;
Bauhinia decora Uribe;
Bauhinia variegata var. chinensis DC.;
Phanera variegata (L.) Benth.;