Bauhinia

Family: Caesalpiniaceae. Bauhinia, or the orchid tree, in indoor cultivation is a small plant that blooms with large fragrant pale-pink flowers shaped like orchids, which open for only one day.

Many species of Bauhinia are quite suitable for indoor cultivation. Moreover, they are actively used in the art of bonsai.

Location: bright; in summer protect from direct midday sun. Temperature should not fall below 15 °C.

Shaping: Do not disturb the plant for the first 2-3 years. When the trunk reaches a certain thickness, prune the plant to the height at which you want the first branches. Bauhinia readily produces shoots from dormant buds. After that the actual shaping begins. Subsequently new shoots are always pruned to one leaf node. Wiring is recommended only for older, sufficiently lignified shoots. Remove the wire after 3 months. Recommended species: Bauhinia purpure (B. purpure), Bauhinia variegata (В. variegata), Bauhinia Blankeana (B. blankeana).

Repotting: Preferably annually, in spring (can be combined with pruning), into a slightly larger pot. If increasing the pot size (tub) is impossible for some reason, it is better to take out the root ball and trim the roots. Fill the space released after trimming with fresh soil. Before planting, damaged large roots should preferably be dusted with powdered charcoal to prevent rot. Bauhinia is not demanding regarding the composition of the soil. An important condition: good drainage. In waterlogged conditions Bauhinia is susceptible to fungal diseases. For large plants I recommend mixing expanded clay directly into the soil; this not only promotes better water and air exchange, but also slightly weights the pot, which prevents tipping.

Fertilizers: In spring, at the start of active growth, it is advisable to use nitrogen fertilizers — for building leaf mass and strong young shoots. From May to July use potassium-phosphorus fertilizers with micronutrients. Excess nitrogen during the summer period will lead to excessive foliage growth, which will negatively affect flowering and weaken the plant before wintering. In August any feedings should be stopped. Young shoots, with the approach of autumn, should stop growing and sufficiently lignify and mature.

Watering: Bauhinia are drought-tolerant plants. However in summer (especially with a southern exposure) the plants require a lot of water. It is better to water less often but thoroughly, allowing the soil surface to dry slightly between waterings. In winter watering is very limited, especially if the plant undergoes a dormant period at reduced temperature.

Light: Bright. The more direct sun the Bauhinia receives, the better. But it also grows well in partial shade under diffused light. In the latter case flowering is less abundant and the plant becomes somewhat more spreading and pendulous.

In spring be careful and gradually acclimate the Bauhinia to direct sun, otherwise the leaves and stems can get sunburn.

Temperature: In summer it prefers a very warm, sunny place, but it is tolerant of fairly large temperature fluctuations. In a cool rainy summer growth slows somewhat. The number of "empty" buds that drop before fully developing increases.

In winter it is desirable to place Bauhinia in a bright place with a lowered temperature (12-15 °C), which will favor flowering and prevent the plant from breaking bud prematurely.

The plant can overwinter at room temperature on a sunny windowsill.

Pests: scale insects.

Propagation: Mainly by seed (generatively). Many species bloom very quickly and readily in the year of sowing. Propagation by cuttings and air layering (vegetatively) is possible. However, this is rather labor-intensive and is not always suitable for propagating Bauhinia at home. Cuttings and layers take a long time to root (usually 1-4 months) at an elevated substrate temperature and with the use of phytohormones and root formation stimulants. But even in the case of successful rooting, the loss of young plants is very high.