Bauhinia blakeana

Bauhinia blakeana, sometimes called Hong Kong orchid tree, is a tree in the genus Bauhinia.

It is usually sterile, suggesting hybrid origin, probably between Bauhinia variegata and Bauhinia purpurea, though this is still a matter of debate. It is evergreen with large thick leaves and striking purplish red flowers.

The shape of a bauhinia leaf is similar to heart. Local people name 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 and hope they will study well.

History

Bauhinia blakeana was first found in Hong Kong, being discovered on the shore of Hong Kong Island near Pok Fu Lam around 1880. 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. Dunn assigned it to the genus Bauhinia, and named it after Sir Henry Blake who was Governor of Hong Kong from 1897 to 1903 and had a strong interest in botany.

Usage as an emblem

Bauhinia blakeana (洋紫荊) was adopted as the floral emblem of Hong Kong in 1965. Since 1997 it has become the floral emblem for the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong, People's Republic of China, and appears on its flag and its coins; its Chinese name has also been changed to 紫荊 (洋 means "foreign" in Chinese, and this is deemed inappropriate by the PRC government).

The flower is also the city flower of Chiayi City, in southwestern Taiwan.