A bit of an experiment...

Today I planted a Bauhinia x blakeana tree in my yard, and I'm really hoping it does well. I've been researching this species for a couple months now, and I think it should be able to handle my climate pretty well - during the winter, we have overnight temperatures below freezing on a just a few nights of the year at most due to being wedged between the ocean and the bay. During the summer days, temperatures can be downright hot (the highest shade temperature I've recorded was 108 during the 2006 heat wave), but luckily the fog rolls in most nights to cool things off and bump the humidity a bit.

In fact, it's not really the temperatures I'm worried about, it's primarily the wind. I've read these trees have somewhat brittle branches, and since I'm up in the hills it can get a bit breezy. Winter storms can produce particularly strong winds, which is something I'm concerned about since that's when they bloom. During my research I've found that people are growing this tree in places that get much colder than here in the winter, but for some reason I can't find much info about how it does in the Bay Area. I'm wondering if this is simply because it's quite a rare species around here (took me three weeks to get ahold of this tree).

Is anyone here growing this species? Does anyone have any advice on how to get the tree to establish the most robust root system possible before winter rolls around? Thanks in advance!

I have one in a container and it does just fine with my summer heat (which is a bit worse than yours--we hit 118 during that same 2006 heat wave) and the wind in the summer doesn't bother it either, although it's not very big and I don't have it in the windiest spot in my yard (I live in a wind tunnel though so even the less windy side of my house gets quite windy!) I can't speak for how it'll do over the winter since I always put it in the greenhouse (my winters are a bit colder than yours so I don't trust it to survive).

Thanks! Does your tree bloom in the greenhouse during the winter? What kind of temperatures does it get in there? I'm hoping the fact that this tree is already about 9 feet tall will help it with the wind and temperatures in the winter - I've heard smaller specimens are more sensitive.

Yes, mine blooms in the greenhouse. I have a heater which keeps the temperature ~45-50 overnight, and daytime temps anywhere from there up to 90+ depending on how warm & sunny it is outside.

That sounds like it would be perfect for this tree, much closer to the climate of Hong Kong (though they don't normally get 90 degree days in the winter). I imagine you must have to prune it pretty regularly to keep its size manageable enough to move in and out of the greenhouse... I think the wind is going to end up pruning mine, but I'll just have to wait and see!

I haven't had to prune it--it seems to grow pretty slowly in a container. And it had a really bad bug infestation over the winter a year ago that did quite a bit of damage so that set it back a bit too and has prevented it from getting really big.

We have been gotten frost 2 years in a row - upper 20's and our orchid trees only lost their leaves. They bloomed fine in the spring.

My favorite is B. galpinii - blooms from Feb to Dec in a no frost year. Last couple years it lost lots of leaves and twigs so it didn't start the show until mid April.

Dale - how tall do your orchid trees get in the ground?

Beautiful shrub, Dale! B. galpinii was one of the species I was considering as well, but I kept reading how the seed pods of fertile varieties can make a bit of a mess - do you find that is a problem? Might be something else to try if I can find the room though. :D

Soils, 25' is about max.

D, I don't know where the 'messy' opinion came from, but, it doesn't apply to galpinii in my zone (Sunset 26).

I don't remember the name of this plant, but, I like plants that are long flowering and orange (more or less)>

That one's Caesalpinia pulcherrima.

Red Bird of Paradise is another species I was planning on putting in my yard! Can't seem to find any suppliers for it around here, though. None of the nurseries have been able to order it. How long is that species without leaves? It's very beautiful, but I've read some reviews (on this site?) that it just looks like a clump of sticks for several months of the year.

I'm surprised none of your local nurseries could order it for you. I've seen it in nurseries from time to time, even sometimes at Lowes/Home Depot. If you want one that I think is equally pretty but likes California climate a little bit better, Caesalpinia gilliesii is beautiful too and I've had way better luck growing it http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2120/

Interesting... Maybe I should start checking the big box stores! I hardly ever do, but it seems like all the time I hear stories of people finding rare/unusual plants at some of those places (almost always labeled incorrectly). C. gilliesii is a stunning plant as well, but I think I'm going to hold out a bit longer and see if I can find C. pulcherrima somewhere.

I am guessing that if you plant pulcherrima against or very near a south wall you would have better luck than one planted out in the open. They don't like our winters and we are toasty compared to CA.

I have given up trying to remember the names of my plants - Old Timers Disease. And I am in the process of moving and my Sunset Book is over at the new house. I can tell you this - it is orange>

That one's Clerodendrum paniculatum: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/135093/

I haven't had good luck with C. pulcherrima. Sometimes it dies during the summer, sometimes it dies over the winter even though I have it in the greenhouse. I've grown several other Caesalpinia species successfully (gilliesii, mexicana, and one or two other less common varieties whose names I can't remember off the top of my head) but I can't keep pulcherrima alive.

If you'd like some Bird of Paradise seed, I have some I'd be happy to send you for free. They came from my Dad (trois on DG) and flyboyFL
They were my Dad's favorite plant and the ones I've seen growing in my area are spectacular. They do have a distressing tendency to freeze even with our relatively mild winters, but I give 'em lots of mulch in the fall and they keep coming back. They do need a sunny location, but man do the B.flies love 'em.
Go ahead and dmail me if you'd like some of the seed, and I'll be happy to send it to you. Down here they don't put out the POB (Pride of Barbados is another name for the Red Bird of Paradise) until mid-summer. Some nurseries may be able to order it for you sooner, though.
Best wishes on your garden. Lovely photos. : - )
Walk In Beauty~
SingingWolf

Dale,

I have a bauhinia galpinii for quite a while now and it never bloomed. I bought it while blooming , but I did not have any luck with it. Can you tell me why ? I have two B trees , the purple and the yellow, two B vines and I have no problem with them blooming. Why just that one ?

Rodicap,

I have no idea. Mine only stops blooming when the frost gets it.

I don't get many flowers mid-summer or mid-winter, but spring and fall every branch has several.

I am wondering where you have your galpinii planted. As hot as it gets in Phoenix I would guess that an eastern/morning sun w/ afternoon shade would be best?

Here is mine a few minutes ago>

That could be it. It gets lots of sun in the summer. It never burns and it always looks good.
The only problem is that it does not bloom.

Funny thing . The next day, after I posted on this thread, I went outside and miracle of miracles. After all these years, I finally have buds on my galpinii.
All I needed was to post here. Who knew ? :O)

And may you have many more.....

Dale, I do not know what I would do to have your display of flower.

Dale your B. galpinii is stunning!! I have had mine only put out buds once and they froze before they had a chance to open. I will be living vicariously through my friend Rodica here who finally has blooms.
I would not worry about Caesalpinia pulcherrima not handling your winters nmcnear. They are an extremly tough plant. Mine grow huge every year depending on how much water they have grown 6ft high and 5ft around and because I live in the one spot where we regularly go below freezing mine die back every year.

Here is an updated photo... I got back from a trip to Costa Rica a couple weeks ago, and was happy to see the that the tree started blooming while I was out of the country! It has been blooming regularly since then and growing some new leaves. The branches have also become more horizontal now, I suspect because it's no longer in a crowded nursery fighting other trees for sunlight. Something that has me slightly worried though is that the leaves are slightly less green than they used to be, and I'm not sure what could be causing that. I did do one application of a balanced, organic fertilizer right before I left on my trip (which the other plants definitely appreciated going by the photo), if that has anything to do with it. I've also read that this variety prefers acidic soils, while the soil in my yard is neutral or slightly alkaline judging by the color of my Hydrangeas.