Plants in Israel: Orchid Tree

Bauhinia variegata, Bauhinia alba, Bauhinia variegata var. alboflava, Bauhinia variegata var. candida, Orchid Tree,

Hebrew: בוהיניה מגוונת, Arabic: بوهينيا ملونه

Scientific name:   Bauhinia variegata L.
Synonym name:   Bauhinia alba hort.,Bauhinia variegata var. alboflava de Wit, Bauhinia variegata var. candida Voigt
Common name:   Orchid Tree
Hebrew name:   בוהיניה מגוונת
Arabic name:   بوهينيا ملونه
Family:   Fabaceae, קטניות


Life form:   Deciduous tree
Stems:   Bark gray
Leaves:   Alternate, simple, usually two lobes
Inflorescence:   In few-flowered, lateral corymbs
Flowers:   5 Pink, purple or white petals
Fruits / pods:   Pods,long, hard, flat, glabrous, dehiscent, 10-15 seeded
Flowering Period:   March-April
Distribution:   Mediterranean coast, Sharon
Chorotype, טיפוס התפוצה:   South-east Asia
Summer shedding:   Perennating


Derivation of the botanical name:

Bauhinia, J.Bauhin (12 December 1541–26 October 1613) was a Swiss botanist, born in Basel.

variegata, variegated.
alba, white.
alboflava,Albus,white, dead white; pale; bright; flavus, golden yellow, reddish yellow, flaxen, blonde; whitish yellow.
candida, glistening, dazzling white, clear, bright; shining or pure white.
The Hebrew name: בוהיניה, Bauhinia, transliteration from Bauhinia.

  • The standard author abbreviation L. is used to indicate Carl Linnaeus (1707 – 1778), a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, the father of modern taxonomy.
  • The standard author abbreviation hort. is used to indicate hortorum (of gardens), or hortulanorum (of gardeners) , referring to a name whose origin or authors are unknown.
  • The standard author abbreviation de Wit is used to indicate Hendrik de Wit (1909 – 1999),a Dutch systematic botanist.
  • The standard author abbreviation Voigt is used to indicate Johann Joachim Otto Voigt (1798 – 1843), a Danish-German botanist.