Four species of Bauhina found in Hong Kong produce abundant seed which germinates readily and you can easily use to grow Bauhinias on your balcony at home. These bauhinias are the two trees Bauhinia variegata and Bauhinia purpurea, and the two creepers bauhinia glauca and Bauhinia championi. For more details about individual species you should follow the links on the main menu page. Bauhinia blakeana does not produce seed often and must be grown from cuttings.

Collecting Seed

When to Collect. Seed collecting times for the different species will depend on the time at which they flower and how long it takes the seeds to mature. As a rough guide you will be able to find mature seed at the following times

• Bauhinia purpurea January - March
• Bauhinia variegata April - May
• Bauhinia glauca June - August
• Bauhinia championi October - November

Fruiting times will vary depending on the climate and the location of the individual plants and may be earlier or later than specified here. When collecting seed you must be careful to only collect mature seed from the current year. Mature Bauhinia seed are dark-brown to black and in dry weather will split open to relase the seeds. If you find it difficult to reach pods on a tree it is easy to wait until they open and then collect the seed that has fallen out from under the tree. Bauhinia purpurea is particularly profuse in its seed production and when the pods open the area below the tree will be covered with the hard, brown, disc-shaped seeds about the size of a 10c coin.

Growing the Seed

Bauhinia seeds usually show good viability and a high percentage will germinate readily. The seeds should be soaked in aerated water for 1 - 2 days and then planted in a good compost and kept well watered in a shady place until the seedling emerges. Once the first leaves are visible move the pot to a place with plenty of light and do not over-water.

Keeping the Plant

Bauhinias are light loving plants which can grow rapidly so you must need sufficient space for them to grow and they are not suitable to be kept indoors. They should be kept in a deep pot and if the weather is dry and windy, add more water if the plant shows any sign of wilting. Bauhinia purpurea can start to flower from the 3rd year after planting and will produce clusters of pink flowers. The creepers B. glauca and B. championi can be grown along a balcony as an attractive feature.