Camel's Foot Tree

Common Name: Camel's Foot Tree

Chinese Name: 宮粉羊蹄甲

Family: Caesalpiniaceae 蘇木科

Scientific Name: Bauhinia variegata

Plant Type: Angiosperms

Flowering Period: Mar-May

Nativity to China/HK: Exotic

Height: 3.5-6 m

Fact:

• The Camel's Foot Tree is a small or medium sized deciduous tree.

• The Camel's Foot Tree has leaves like halfway bilobate blades, alternately grown, and has smooth surfaces and entire margins.

• Its flowers are grown on the leaf axils, with pink petals appearing in spring.

• Its fruits are long black pods that can grow up to 30 cm long, which are coiled upon dehiscence.

• It defoliates before flowering, despite being rarely seen because of the warm weather in Hong Kong of late.

• It is commonly planted to beautify urban areas because of its attractive colour and appearance.

• The root bark can bve used in medicine that improves digestion.

• The flowers and leaves of the Camel's Foot Tree are quite similar to that of the Hong Kong Orchid Tree, with both leaves looking like goat's hooves. This can be explained by the fact that they both originate from the same group.