B-11: Bauhinia

Name:  Orchid Tree - basavana pada
Location:  Right of left gate, "Evelyn Villa" #5 Berlie St

Action: check, add pic

B-10: Bauhinia

Name:  Orchid Tree - basavana pada
Location:  between #4 An Najm and #4/2 Dar ul Aman

Action: add pic and check 

O-3: Bauhinia purpurea

Name:  Orchid Tree - basavana pada
Location: #3? Olleff Rd (corner house)
Status:  Blooming well August 2016

Action:  Remove sucker shoots.

ABOUT: Bauhinia - The Orchid Tree

Bauhinia - in Kannada known as deva kanchan or basavana pada (buffalo foot) and you can see why, from the shape of its leaves. In Hindi, it's kachnar. In English, it is sometimes called the Camel Foot tree, or Butterfly Tree, or Mountain Ebony. And of course, because of its extraordinarily beautiful flowers, it's also known as the Orchid Tree.

We have quite a few Bauhinias here in Langford Town, and in Richmond Town too. Sadly for them, they have been planted below electric lines, and are annually subjected to what the KEB likes to call "tree trimming".

This picture is actually not the work of the KEB, but of some misguided "gardener". Unfortunately, the KEB does an equally monstrous job of hacking and ripping branches, and there are tons of similarly mutilated bauhinias in my neighbourhood. They survive .. somehow, in India, almost everything does, doesn't it? But I'm hoping that in future, we'll be able to trim and prune properly in a way that neither human safety nor tree health is compromised.

I'm not entirely sure if the trees we have here are x blakeana or purpurea. I think the latter .. will confirm one day!

Here's a link to an interesting page about the Orchid Tree.

Project Vruksha has some lovely photos and information.

B-9: Bauhinia

Name:  Orchid tree - basavana pada
Location: 3 Berlie St, "Amber", outside security kiosk

Action:
1. Trim heavier side at some point to restore balance.

Status:

15/7/16: have made peace with them, after explaining how the tree was damaged and unbalanced after cutting this way. They are now also taking good care of two saplings planting outside their place last month. All's well that ends well. Note:  the heavier side of this tree will need proper pruning at some point in the future, but it's not urgent.

26/6/16:  afternoon/evening - badly hacked by gardener Babu on Sunday 26/6/16 on orders from resident/mgrSalma? Large branches were unnecessarily removed (no electric lines in way) and removal was ripping, not proper cuts. Tree is now heavily imbalanced with almost entire weight over road. Earlier that morning NT had trimmed very low hanging branches over road, and resident has presumably taken this as an invitation to rape the tree, although had specifically told both resident and security not to touch the tree, that I would come and trim as necessary in the proper manner. Even I do not have authority to make the huge cuts that they have made .. minor trimming of branches under 2 inches diameter is permitted, but anything more requires written approval from the Forest Cell/Forest Office, which I doubt they had. Other residents I spoke to tried to say that the KEB and Corporation had come to cut the branches. On Sunday??? Yeah, right. Plus, the KEB had already finished cutting necessary branches that were a risk to electric lines on Berlie St over a week ago. They obviously did not see the need to cut this one.

27 June a.m. after vandalism
done by resident/gardener

Close up of hacked branches.
Notice no utility lines.

Adding insult to injury - hacked branches
 and leaves thrown on footpath

and not even their own footpath -
across the road, outside a neighbour's house!

 26/6/16: Did some minor trimming of this tree where the low-hanging leaves were brushing the helmets of passers-by!

26 June a.m. after light trimming of
low hanging branches, right side view

26 June a.m. after light trimming of
low hanging branches, front view

26 June a.m. after light trimming
 of low branches, left side view.

22/6/16: lower branches need trimming

22 June 2016 - lower hanging branches need
minor trimming as passing cars touch

B-5: Bauhinia

Name: Orchid Tree - basavana pada
Location:  2 Berlie St, "Gallery Skye"

Action:
1. Remove suckers.

B-4: Bauhinia purpurea

Name: Orchid Tree - basavana pada
Location:  17 Eagle St (Berlie side) left of gate
Status: few deep pink flowers August

Action:
1. check for vandalism (cables, signs)
2. Trim low straggly stems

B-2: Bauhinia

Name:  Orchid Tree - basavana pada .
Location:  17 Eagle St (Berlie side) left of entrance
Status: has been badly hacked by KEB. As of mid August, few leaves.

Action:
1. Remove suckers (done  1st week Sep 16)
2. Trim dead twigs. (done Sep 16)
3. Check base if liquid fertiliser can be added.
4. Some taller dead branches can be removed if I can get a stepladder and some help.

E-22 (basavanapada)

Name:

 

E-21: Bauhinia

Name:  Orchid Tree - basavana pada
Location:  6 Eagle St, right of centre
Status:

Action:
1. Get pipes removed.
2. Clear border.

E-9: Bauhinia

Name:  Orchid Tree - Basavanapad
LOCATION:  #2 Eagle St, disputed site "Bayberry"
Status: youngish

ACTION:
1. VANDALISM - remove cables
2. 2x2 border

4 photos taken on 17 June 2016: