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Bauhinia variegata

Common name:	Mountain Ebony	Family:	Leguminosae
Author:	L.	Botanical references:	200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	E. Asia - Pakistan to S. China.
Habitat:	Open valleys with good loamy soil at elevations of 150 - 1800 metres[272].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Bauhinia Baidha [E], Dagh Abanosi [E], Khuf Al Jamal [E], Kovidara [E], Mountain Ebony [P], Mountain-ebony [B], Tapak Kerbau [E],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	variegata = variegated
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Fabales. Renamed to Fabaceae -- Pea family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	India Iraq Java Nepal Turkey
Noxious, Invasive and Injurious Weeds	From USDA PLANTS database, Weeds Australia , DEFRA Injurious Weeds
	Listed as noxious/invasive for: USA Invasive.

Physical Characteristics

A decidious tree growing to 12m. It is hardy to zone 9. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Edible Uses

Leaves.

The young leaves, flowers and fruits are boiled and eaten as a vegetable, or are pickled[272].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Alterative Anthelmintic Astringent Tonic.

The bark is alterative, anthelmintic, astringent and tonic[243, 272]. The juice of the bark is used in the treatment of amoebic dysentery, diarrhoea and other stomach disrders[272]. A paste of the bark is useful in the treatment of cuts and wounds, skin diseases, scrofula and ulcers[243, 272].
The dried buds are used in the treatment of piles, dysentery, diarrhoea and worms[243].
The juice of the flowers is used to treat diarrhoea, dysentery and other stomach disorders[272].
The root is used as an antidote to snake poison[243]. A decoction of the root is used to treat dyspepsia[243].

Other Uses

Dye Tannin Wood.

The bark is a source of tannins. It is used for dyeing[272].
Wood - used for house construction and making household implements[272].

Cultivation details

Prefers a fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil, requiring a warm sheltered position in full sun[200, 260].
When grown in warm Temperate zones, this species can withstand short periods of temperatures as low as -5° c[200]. In Britain, it is only likely to succeed outdoors in the very mildest parts of the country, and even then would probably require the protection of a south-facing wall.
There are some cultivars, developed for their ornamental value[200].
243034

Propagation

Seed - pre-soak for 12 hours in warm water then sow in mid spring in a greenhouse. When large enough t handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out in early summer, after the last expected frosts and consider giving some protection from the cold for their first winter or two outdoors.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, with the leaves removed, in moist sand July/August in a frame[200]. Gentle bottom heat is usually required.
Layering.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[243] Medicinal Plants of Nepal Dept. of Medicinal Plants. Nepal. 1993
Terse details of the medicinal properties of Nepalese plants, including cultivated species and a few imported herbs.

[260] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2 Pan Books, London. 1998 ISBN 0-330-37376-5
Excellent photos of over 1,100 species and cultivars with habits and cultivation details plus a few plant uses. Many species are too tender for outdoors in Britain though there are many that can be grown outside.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Bauhinia+variegata
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Bauhinia+variegata

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