Bauhinia blakeana
) is an
evergreen tree, in the
genus Bauhinia, with large thick leaves and striking purplish red flowers. The fragrant, orchid-like flowers are usually 10-15 cm across, and bloom from early November to the end of March. This unique
endemic flower is special of Hong Kong's
ecosystem. It is referred to as
bauhinia in non-scientific literature though this is the name of the genus. It is sometimes called
Hong Kong orchid tree (香港蘭).
The shape of a
Bauhinia double-lobed leaf is similar to a heart, 7-10 cm long and 10-13 cm broad, with a deep cleft dividing the apex. Local people call the leaf
chungmingyip (聰明葉, lit. "clever leaf"), and regard it as a symbol of cleverness. Some people use the leaves to make bookmarks in the hope that it will assist them to study well.
It is usually sterile (does not produce seed), suggesting a
hybrid origin, probably between
Bauhinia variegata and
Bauhinia purpurea, though this is still a matter of debate. Propagation is by cuttings and air-layering, and the tree prefers a sheltered sunny position with good soil.
History
It is named after
Sir Henry Blake who was
British Governor of Hong Kong from
1898 to
1903. An enthusiastic
botanist, he discovered it in
1880 near the ruins of a house on the shore of
Hong Kong Island near
Pok Fu Lam. The first scientific description of the Hong Kong orchid tree was published in
1908 by
S. T. Dunn, superintendent of the
Botanical and Forestry Department, who assigned it to the genus
Bauhinia and named it after Sir Henry Blake.
Usage as an emblem
Bauhinia blakeana was adopted as the
floral emblem of Hong Kong by the
Urban Council in
1965. Since
1997 it has become the floral emblem for the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region of the
People's Republic of China, and appears on
its flag and
its coins; its Chinese name has also been frequently shortened as 紫荊 (洋 means "foreign" in Chinese, and some may consider this would be deemed inappropriate by the PRC government). A
statue of the plant has been erected in
Golden Bauhinia Square in Hong Kong.
Although the flowers are bright pinkish purple in colour, they are depicted in white on the
Flag of Hong Kong.
The
endemic plant of
Hong Kong was introduced to
Taiwan in
1967. In
1984 it was chosen to be the city flower of
Chiayi City, in southwestern
Taiwan.
*
Bauhinia - Hong Kong emblem*
Hong Kong Bauhinias
