Bauhinia purpurea

The fast-growing Orchid-Tree will ultimately reach
35 feet in height and width, the slender trunks topped
with arching branches clothed in large, two-lobed,
deciduous leaves. In fall, before the leaves
drop, Orchid-Tree is festooned with many showy and
delightfully fragrant, five-inch-wide blossoms, the
narrow purple, pink, and lavender petals arranged to
closely resemble an orchid. These flowers appear on
the trees from September through November and are a
beautiful sight to see, creating a vivid splash of color
in the autumn landscape. The flowers are followed by
12-inch-long, slender, brown, flat seedpods which
usually persist on the tree throughout the winter, then
fall to create a mess to clean up. The spectacular
flower display makes orchid-tree a favorite for
specimen plantings.