For beauty, bees, and butterflies, the Anacacho Orchid Tree is a showstopper

NATIVE PLANT FOCUS | Anacacho Orchid Tree | Bauhinia congesta

While appearing fragile, the anacacho orchid tree is a tough Texas native that offers a profusion of benefits for the home landscape.  This member of the pea family blooms in spring, unfurling five-inch-wide clusters of white to pink flowers. Heavy summer rains can bring on a repeat performance of these showy, fragrant, orchid-like flowers, creating a frilly appearance in the landscape. 

In The Woodlands (Plant Hardiness Zone 9a), the orchid tree is semi-evergreen The light green butterfly-shaped leaves contrast with the silvery bark and attractive limbs to create an outstanding understory tree or shrub. After getting established over the first year, the orchid tree grows rapidly to about 6’ at maturity. The plant will tolerate part shade although it will produce more blooms in full sun. It is hardy to 15 degrees F and is cold and drought tolerant.

Makes its Own Fertilizer

Maintenance of the orchid tree is easy.  The plant makes a beautiful multi-trunked shrub, requiring little to no pruning.  No fertilizer is needed because the orchid tree makes its own! This nitrogen-fixing tree hosts soil bacterial known as rhizobia in its roots, which do the actual work of converting nitrogen from the atmosphere into a usable form for plants in exchange for sugars. Avoid planting in turf or other areas you are likely to apply fertilizers, as this native plant becomes lanky and flowering is reduced when the plant is given excess nitrogen.

Pollinator Magnet

Orchid trees offer high value to pollinators.  It is the host plant for the long-tailed skipper butterfly and the flower nectar attracts many other pollinators including other butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.

The orchid tree leaves feed caterpillars that turn into these splendid long-tailed skippers

Good Things Can Be Hard to Find

Locating an anacacho orchid tree may require an online search since it is a plant not commonly sold in stores.  Local organizations such as the Texas Native Plant Society and Master Gardener Association sometimes sell this plant in their seasonal plant sales.  Plant nurseries located in south Texas also frequently sell the anacacho orchid tree.  Your search will be rewarded with an outstanding plant to add to the home landscape.

Learn More About Native Trees This Saturday

Learn much more about home landscaping with native Texas trees by joining us online on Saturday, April 15 from 9 am to 11 am.  Michael Merritt, Urban and Community Forestry Program Leader for the Texas A&M Forest Service will share his lifelong expertise with native Texas trees.  Michael will guide us through selection, care, and maintenance of trees; specific trees for the home landscape; caring for trees during drought, common tree pests, and the many benefits of trees.  Michael was honored in 2021 by his selection as Texas State Arborist of the Year.  Register today for this exciting, informative, FREE presentation.

Texas Trees in the Home Landscape
Saturday, April 15
9 am to 11 am

Presenter: Michael Merritt, Texas A&M Urban and Community Forester

Virtual class

Essential Resources to Plant & Care for Native Trees

Whether you join us at the Arbor Day Tree Give Away in The Woodlands, or are buying tress from one of the many sales this time of year, here are some great resources to ensure your trees thrive for years to come.

Here is a quick overview of what you’ll find here. Click on a category to jump to each section, or scroll through for all the tree care tips.

Planting Bare-Root Trees | Mulching the Right Way | 3 Great Pruning Resources | Plant Health Care | Right Tree Right Place | Find a Certified Arborist Near You

Arbor Day Varieties | Which Tree is Good For Me? Guide to Arbor Day Varieties | Detailed Links for Each Variety |

Planting Bare-Root Trees

Click here for the step-by-step guide from the Arbor Day Foundation to successfully plant your bare-root tree.


Mulching the Right Way

After you plant, there’s one more step! Mulch is one of the best things you can do keep moisture in the soil and add organic matter. There is a right and a wrong way to mulch; check out this simple guide to make sure you are helping the tree, not harming it.

Check out this quick guide to mulching right from the Arborists themselves, or watch the video below from the Tree Care Video Library.

Mulching is also important to avoid conflicts between trees and turf grass. Find out why here.


3 Great Pruning Resources

1] This Tree City USA Bulletin covers How to Prune Young Shade Trees. Follow the story of two families who both plant trees, and how those trees turn out in 15 years. Isn’t the one below a thing of beauty? It is the result of judicious pruning throughout the tress life.

2 ] A quick guide to correct pruning is found in this this ISA Guide to Pruning Young Trees. Proper pruning is essential to a tree having a strong structure and pleasing form.

3] Wondering what some of the common mistakes are? This USDA Forest Service Guide has some great pictures on what to avoid as well as how to do it right.


Plant Health Care

Health Care? For Plants? Certainly! Plant Health Care (PHC) is a holistic approach to the care of trees and plants that can save you money, save your trees, and save our environment from needless amounts of toxic chemicals.

The benefits are large following the 5 steps of PHC. Skip to the second page of this Tree City USA Bulletin to find out how to implement PHC in your own yard for healthy and resilient trees.


Right Tree Right Place

Even if you plant the tree correctly, mulch it well and prune it for a strong structure, it won’t matter much if the tree is in the wrong place to begin with. One of the essential functions of trees in SE Texas is to provide cooling summer shade. Think about that and other factors that affect tree placement in this visual guide to determining the Right Tree for the Right Place.


Find a Certified Arborist

If you would like to entrust pruning, assessment and health to a certified professional, the International Society of Arboriculture has a great online tool to find one using your zip code HERE.

And for some talking points to consider in discussing your trees with the Arborist, check out this guide on How to Hire an Arborist.



CANOPY TREES

American Sycamore

Platanus occidentalis (American sycamore) | Native Plants of North America (wildflower.org)

Chinkapin Oak

Quercus muehlenbergii (Chinkapin oak) | Native Plants of North America (wildflower.org)

Overcup Oak

Quercus lyrata (Overcup oak) | Native Plants of North America (wildflower.org)

Green Ash

Fraxinus pennsylvanica (Green ash) | Native Plants of North America (wildflower.org)

Loblolly Pine

Pinus taeda (Loblolly pine) | Native Plants of North America (wildflower.org)

UNDERSTORY TREES

Chickasaw Plum

Prunus angustifolia (Chickasaw plum) | Native Plants of North America (wildflower.org)

Possumhaw Holly [NOT SHIPPED BY GROWER]

Ilex decidua (Possumhaw) | Native Plants of North America (wildflower.org)

Roughleaf Dogwood

Cornus drummondii (Roughleaf dogwood) | Native Plants of North America (wildflower.org)

Texas Redbud

Cercis canadensis var. texensis (Texas redbud) | Native Plants of North America (wildflower.org)

Texas Persimmon

Diospyros texana (Texas persimmon) | Native Plants of North America (wildflower.org)

Spicebush

Lindera benzoin (Northern spicebush) | Native Plants of North America (wildflower.org)

Witch Hazel

Hamamelis virginiana (Witch-hazel) | Native Plants of North America (wildflower.org)


Tree Resource Hubs

Arbor Day Foundation | Tree Care Tips & Techniques for Homeowners

Trees Are Good.org | Tree Owner Information

Tree City USA | Bulletins & Resources


Arbor Day is brought to you by The Woodlands Township Environmental Services

Originally started by the Howard Hughes Development Company, since 1977 more than 1.5 million seedlings have been shared with residents to plant in their yard, in community open space reserves and in forest preserves. Participate in one of The Woodlands longest standing traditions and help plant trees today for our community to enjoy for years to come.