Bauhinia tomentosa is relatively less known tree in Pakistan, but it is common in many parts of India. It is a very easy to maintain plant. The tree continuously flowers through out the year with yellow drooping flowers, somewhat resembling the flowers of lady-finger. Protect the tree from wind. The word tomentosa in its name indicates "wolly"- the new growth on this tree has lots of hairs, hence the name. The tree bears seed pods like all Bauhinias. Image: M Farooq
aykhan wrote:Farooq sahib where did you find this plant? Is it available or do you have seeds?
Khan sb, I purchased it from Shalimar nursery Karachi 5-6 years ago. This picture is bit old, the tree should be alive in my home, if it has not died out of neglect. I like Bauhinias very much. Please my entry for Bauhinia purpurea and I am badly searching for that exact colour as well. Three times I purchased Bauhinias and they turned out to be of different colours after couple of years of waiting. And online vendors do not guarantee true colours. Have you seen that purple Bauhinia elsewhere?
I successfully germinated bauhinia monandra and variegata two years ago. I recently have purchased seeds for bidentata, purpurea, galpinii, corymbosa, petersiana, scandens, hookeri, cunninghammi and tomentosa also from sunshine seeds and eBay. I have not received them yet. I am looking for bauhinia kockiana, vahliii, roxburghianna, madagascariensis and bartletti. Some of these like kockiana are quite rare and there are different germination requirements occasionally.
That is great! I am bit dubious about Bauhinia purpurea, there so many wonderful and not-so-wonderful looking purpureas. Just look at the various shades, petal forms of purpurea. The rest of the species you mentioned are pretty unique so there is no doubt that the seeds will be the as same shown in the pictures.
Farooq Saheb I am a photographer and can testify that reds are extremely difficult to photograph in order to show the exact color and purple suffer similarly but less. Light plays a unique role in how a color is depicted in a photograph and also the flower color itself can be effected by various weather intensities. I think if you buy bauhinia purpurea from a reliable vendor you will get true seeds since this is a common variety and not the rare, unique and expensive bauhinias like kockiana and bidentata.
aykhan wrote:Farooq Saheb I am a photographer and can testify that reds are extremely difficult to photograph in order to show the exact color and purple suffer similarly but less. Light plays a unique role in how a color is depicted in a photograph and also the flower color itself can be effected by various weather intensities. I think if you buy bauhinia purpurea from a reliable vendor you will get true seeds since this is a common variety and not the rare, unique and expensive bauhinias like kockiana and bidentata.
Agree! But the petals are pretty narrow in some Bauhinia purpureas. The Bauhinia which I have been looking for ages is this one: http://www.gardeningpakistan.com/viewto ... =37&t=2224, it is its true colour in the photo, and the tree is very handsome. It is covered by purple flowers in the season. I have seen only such specimen. May be it is more common in other cities.
Bauhinia kockiana is so beautiful...bit surprised that the leaves are unlike the camel's foot, a common characteristic of Bauhinia leaves. I will also try sunshine seeds. Do they send seeds to Pakistan? We may try together if you wish. You may also like Bauhinia potsii, which looks like your Gloriosa lilies. I also had two trees Bauhinia blackeana but they died (again from Shalimar).
Yes potsii is also on my want list but not available. I think the only good pictures of potsii are from Kukiat's gardens in Thailand who incidentally is also a master plumeria hybridizer. Sunshine seeds ships worldwide. I am ordering for the first time but other members in the forum eg Khabbab have bought from them. If I had known sooner we could have bought together and could have saved on shipping. When you proceed to purchase let me know also. I think we still have a month or so of weather good enough to germinate and then have a seedling big enough to successfully save before the winter.
aykhan wrote:Yes potsii is also on my want list but not available. I think the only good pictures of potsii are from Kukiat's gardens in Thailand who incidentally is also a master plumeria hybridizer. Sunshine seeds ships worldwide. I am ordering for the first time but other members in the forum eg Khabbab have bought from them. If I had known sooner we could have bought together and could have saved on shipping. When you proceed to purchase let me know also. I think we still have a month or so of weather good enough to germinate and then have a seedling big enough to successfully save before the winter.
Yes we can arrange Bauhinia seeds together...I wish I knew earlier that you hunt for Bauhinias as well :-)
