Bauhinia purpurea, commonly known as the Purple Orchid Tree or Butterfly Tree, is a tropical deciduous tree native to the Indian subcontinent and Myanmar. The species produces distinctive orchid-like purple flowers and butterfly-shaped bilobed leaves. Seeds have a hard seed coat requiring scarification with hot water or mechanical treatment to achieve reliable germination.
Before sowing
Pre-treatment with gibberellic acid (GA3) at 500 ppm for 120 minutes can significantly accelerate germination. Seeds have physical dormancy due to a hard seed coat that requires breaking to allow water penetration.
Sowing
What to expect
Tips
Sow pretreated seeds 3/8 inch (approximately 1 cm) deep, tamp the soil, and mulch the seed bed. Maintain consistent moisture and warm temperatures of 20-25°C for optimal germination. Seeds will germinate in 14-90 days depending on conditions. Use perlite or well-draining potting soil to prevent waterlogging. Transplant seedlings once they develop 2-3 true leaves. Start seeds in individual pots to give seedlings adequate space during their first weeks. If initial hot water soaking fails, nick the seed coat and retry with warm water.
Sources: Wikipedia, Plant World Seeds, Sheffield's Seeds, Mahindra Nursery, SSRN Research, PlantsForAFuture Database, PFAF Plant Database
