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Count The Garden By The Flowers, Never By The Leaves That Fall.
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..... Author unknown.

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Malaysian Flora USDA Zone 11
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Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Bauhinia acuminata - The Snowy Orchid Tree


Thanks to your clues, smart observations and comments on my previous post "UFO on UFO", the flower and the bug has been identified.

The flower is Bauhinia acuminata while the bug is Amata huebneri. Both the flower and the bug are natives here.

The flowers of the Bauhinia acuminata is about 3 inches in diameter. Each flower has 5 petals which are a bright white in colour. When in bloom, they look like snowflakes on the branches and they also exude a nice fragrance with a hint of the scent of roses.  You can use them as cut flowers.

The leaves are shaped like ox-hooves.

“Bauhinia acuminata”, a copyrighted post, was written for My Nice Garden blog by Autumn Belle @ http://www.mynicegarden.com/ on June 1st, 2011.



Scientific name: Bauhinia acuminata
Common name: Dwarf White Bauhinia, White Orchid Tree, Snowy Orchid Tree

Family: Fabaceae
Origin: Malaysia, Southeast Asia
Category: Ornamental small tree/shrub
Photograph taken at: The Rooftop Secret Garden of 1-Utama

The plant can reach a height of about 8-9 ft when grown on the ground and shorter if planted in containers. The requirements are good soil drainage, regular watering, occassional fertilizing and full to partial sun exposure. It is suitable for USDA 9b - 11. It blooms best when under stress!


Amata huebneri is a day-flying moth that mimics the stinging wasps as a camourflage from predator birds. They are actually quite harmless. They belong to Arctiidae, a family of wooly bears or tiger moths. Their larvae feed on rice in the paddy fields.

Do you think this is a beautiful plant to grow in your garden?

Updated: 2 Jun 2011
FlowerLady of FlowerLady's Musings blog has a pot of this snowy white orchid tree in her garden. Her post is here - May 2011 Blooms. Her blog header is also of this flower.

10 comments:

  1. Beautiful and such a pure snowy white.
    Chr

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have two of these grown from seeds and I love them. They are in two large terra cotta pots. Their delicate sweet scent is oh so nice.

    I'm using a photo I took as my header right now.

    Your photos are lovely.

    FlowerLady

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear FlowerLady, how long it takes for this tree to produce blooms? Thank you

      Delete
  3. It is stunning. The moth really does look like it could hurt you, glad it won't! ( my daughter is scared of moths.)

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is a very beautiful plant to grow. "It blooms best when under stress"--interesting. I should remember that!

    p.s. Thanks for the link back on the strawberry post. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. UnSub been identified case closed haha..too much of watching 'Criminal Minds'. tQ for the great UFO pixz.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Excellent post. Bauhinias, almost all of them, grow in Puerto Rico also. The most frequently found in urban/rural contexts, are those with violet tones.

    One thing many people do not mention or realize is their fragrance a favorite of our hummingbirds. There is one in my collection.

    That is that..
    From the Caribbean...the juan ana only AC.

    ReplyDelete
  7. The flower is beautiful. As for the moth...I guess it's nice but I don't like bugs. Ironic, right, since I love to garden?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sunray, yes! I was captivated with this 'Snow White' beauty.

    FlowerLady, I hopped over to your blog as soon as I saw this comment and wow! your header is lovely. I have linked you related post to mine.

    Rosey, I read that it doesn't sting.

    Bumber Lush. Yeah, that's what caught my attention too!

    Bananaz, I don't know why I have missed this UnSub on TV but I like David Soul especially in Starsky and Hutch. I am a fan of FBI movies/series.

    Antigonum, I really like to imagine this delicate beauty among the natural greens of the countryside.

    Diva Gardener, I like to garden but I don't like bad bugs too!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you dear Autumn Belle for the link to my blog.

    FlowerLady

    ReplyDelete

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