The winter of 2013 affected my four "orchid trees" in different ways, not surprising as they were different varieties originating in very different climates. Our native variety, Bauhinia lunarioides, commonly called an Anacacho Orchid, lost tender branches (about 2 to 3 feet of each limb), but has since fully recovered. The Bauhinia blakeana, which produced enormous pink blooms that really did look like orchids, died to the ground. A fourth, Bauhinia fortificata commonly called the Brazilian Orchid tree, also died. I had high hopes for my favorite, Bauhinia mexicana, a tiny shrub with delightful split leaves, as it had survived freezes in other years. But evidently our pattern of freezes alternating with high heat followed again by late season freezes was just too much - and it too died. The "native is better" movement may have gained support here. Even so, we gardeners probably all have our guilty little collection of plants from some remote place with completely different growing conditions.
On the bright side, the dead trunk and branches of B. blakeana allowed me to make a bottle tree of sorts. After trimming it back to highlight its form, the branches were decorated with Lucky Buddha beer bottles - each bottle sports a laughing, round bellied Buddha molded into the green glass who dares you not to smile. In keeping with my pollinator friendly garden, I also attached several bee houses then planted a Yellow Butterfly Vine at the base. Oddly, the leaves of the vine look very much like the leaves of the Bauhinia it replaced.
As of today, 6 cells have bees and the Butterfly Vine is going crazy! Two anoles seem to think it's their own little nirvana, and guard it ferociously. All in all, the new activity is more than compensation for the loss.
All material © 2014 by Vicki Blachman for Playin' Outside.
Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
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