Enigmatic Beauty
Martin Williams
Known as Bauhinia blakeana in scientific parlance, the Hong Kong orchid tree is a legume, which means its close kin include not oaks and sequoias, but the common or garden pea. Even though the flower has been Hong Kong’ s emblem since 1965, no one is sure if the tree is a true species, or a hybrid.For fuller article, please see Bauhinia - Hong Kong orchid tree