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Beginning of winter in northern Oz: new growth on Bauhinia or Orchid Tree
By Bernieh
3 Jun, 2009
2 likes
This bauhinia is around 6 metres tall and will look spectacular in spring when it is in full bloom
Comments on this photo
You're right Nelke - I live in the northern part of Australia and our minimum temperatures here in winter are around 13 degrees C and that's at night. Our daytime temps are around 20 degrees C. Not what you would call a 'winter' - although other parts of the country do get very cold and have snowfall. Winter here in the north is a time for the plants to recover from the heat and humidity.
3 Jun, 2009
Bernieh:
Which species of Bauhinia is this tree?
I thought your temps would be much warmer since you're located in the tropics...my average temps here in San Diego are almost similar to your winter temps. Are you located at a higher elevation in Townsville, Australia?
7 Jun, 2009
Delonix I think this is Bauhinia variegata which can get white, pink, purple or red flowers. I have a couple of smaller bauhinias which have the purple flowers but this tall one gets the white flowers. The temps I spoke of in my earlier comment were only the average winter temps - the range of daytime temps here in winter can be anything from 17 degC to 26 degC. Townsville is on the coast but it ringed by ranges - I live up on one of those ranges and the temps here can be slightly cooler.
8 Jun, 2009
Bernieh:
Yes, Bauhinia variegata 'candida' they do grow very large...larger than Bauhinia variegata. Most of the Bauhinia species have just stoped blooming here...now all the bean pods cover the trees. It can be very messy because they produce tons of seed pods.
I like Bauhinia blakeana - Hong Kong Orchids trees the best...they are widely used as a street tree here in San Diego and don't produce the seed pods. It is a sterile hybrid. Also, they have the largest, most fragrant flowers of any Bahunia and bloom in winter.
I understand now about your temp averages...in my opinion average temps can be misleading. lol. I know a lot of the time, it is here...especially when the temps go up to 90+ degrees / 33+ degrees C. in winter...the averages go out the door. : > )
8 Jun, 2009
Yes I agree too Delonix - I rather like the Bauhinia blakeana and they're used here as street trees too. Agree about the average temps - we get a lot of variation in day to day temps over winter. Our summers, however, do not get that variation - it's just hot.
8 Jun, 2009
Bernieh:
I bet in summer it's hot and humid.
9 Jun, 2009
It's just plain stinking hot Delonix - the humidity is what really gets to visitors who come up this way in summer. It's such a hard thing for visitors when the conditions are so sticky. We of course are used to it - still don't like it very much though.
9 Jun, 2009
Bernieh:
I don't like the heat and humidity either...I'm so glad the weather has been somewhat below normal now...at least I don't have to use the air conditioner.
We do get some really hot and humid weather in Summer...in 2006 we had an execetionally hot and humid summer. We had one day when the heat index hit 132 degrees F/ 56 degrees C.! It was God Awful!!! Even the aircondition could not keep the house cool...however, it was very unusual. Although, the last 3 years we have been getting some heat indices in the 120 degree F/ 49 degree C. range...which is still unusual. Maybe due to
Global Warming?
9 Jun, 2009
That is hot Delonix - I think the highest daytime temp for summer here was around 52 degC over 15 years ago. My husband remembers it well because he had a second job washing cars at the time and he was out in the heat and sun trying hard not to fry away to a crisp! Luckily most summers the extreme is usually around 35!
9 Jun, 2009
Bernieh:
Was the 52 degrees C. an actual air temp. or a heat index?
The temps I stated above are heat indexes. The only places that regularly have such extreme high temps. are the deserts of California and Arizona.
The only time the San Diego Area ever hit such high actual air temps was back in Sept. of 1963 -- several districts inland recorded temps around 52 degrees C. Our usual highest temp in summer where I live is around 102 degrees/ 39 degrees C. and that's too hot for me. lol. Downtown San Diego almost never records such high temps. because of the close proximity to the coast.
9 Jun, 2009
Delonix - the freakish 52 degC was actual air temp measured at our airport. That was a once in a couple of decades event thank goodness. The 35 degC we reach occasionally during summer are also air temps - we usually get one or two of those daytime maximums during our summer. Our summers can be very oppressive.
9 Jun, 2009
WOW! That's HOT! It's almost like Death Valley, CA. which is 1 of 3 of the hottest spots in the World. It regularly reaches this temp and even hotter --the hottest official actual air temp. ever recorded there was 134 degrees F. / 57 degrees C. in 1913...although it has reached close to this temp many times. Dealth Valley,CA. is located at 267 feet / 86 meter below sea level.
If I lived in your climate I would need a very strong air conditioner. LOL!
In the inland areas of California a new house cannot be built without central air conditioning...it's a law or ordinance.
9 Jun, 2009
Photo 20 of 21
What else?
See who else is growing Bauhinia Variegata - Alba.
See who else has plants in genus Bauhinia.
This photo is of "Bauhinia or White Orchid Tree" in Bernieh's garden
I begin to understand Your "winter-beginning"-fotos: is it, that it doesn´t get really cold, and everything is sort of refreshed after a dry summer???- Think, I´ve to look in the atlas....
3 Jun, 2009