Bauhinia now in full bloom.

They're pretty, are they flowering on naked stems ?

Hi Louise - yes this bauhinia drops all its leaves (well there might be one or two left behind) when it flowers. The tree is leafless but covered in white flowers - hubbie hates the look of it and hates the mess underneath which he gets to clean up, but I love seeing the dazzling white flowers at the end of the drive when I come home!

I'd be the same as you Bernie :))

Flowers often look better without the leaves. You would not even notice Hamamelis in flower with it's leaves on here. This is a lovely shrub/tree, Bernieh, are the leaves variegated or have they put a wrong caption on it?

Hi Vincentdunne - the caption is correct. I really don't know why it's called 'variegata' because the leaves are not variegated - a bit confusing.

Sometimes it is hard to know how these plants are named. I am always amused by Abelia grandiflora, the flowers may be nice but 'grand' compared to others, eh, no. Doubtless there is a logical reason if one digs deep enough.

I have tried looking it up on the internet, but can't seem to find out why it's called this - of course it's been around for a long, long time so maybe it's one of those names that's become distorted or used incorrectly for some time.

Beautiful does the leaves change colour at all perhaps that is the reason!

Morgang - no the leaves don't change colour either. No rhyme nor reason to this name!!

Strange I will ask on net see what I can find

Yes thanks Morgana - I'd be interested to know why myself.

Don't know if this will help seems its a hybrid female here is the link. http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119424718/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

I had a Bauhinia in Tenerife. Pink with dark pink edges and it smelled delicious. One of my favourite trees

Gwenvokes - I rather like the pink and purple bauhinias. I did have two of the purple varieties but unfortunately they died off - they were getting old and obviously did not like the rather long drought period.