Kaniar / Purple Orchid Tree
Bauhinia purpurea
Also known as Purple Bauhinia, Butterfly Tree, Camel's Foot Tree, Geranium Tree, Orchid Tree
- Habit
- Tree
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana & more
- Flowering
- February-December; Fruits throughout the year
How to identify Kaniar
Identify Kaniar by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a tree habit.
- Check the distinctive field mark: Narrow pointed petals, uniform purple-pink color.
- Confirm leaf arrangement: Alternate.
- Confirm leaf type: Bilobed (two leaflets, often butterfly-shaped).
- Confirm flower colour: Pink.
- Confirm fruit type: Legume.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: February-December; Fruits throughout the year.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Bauhinia purpurea
- Genus
- Bauhinia
- Family
- Caesalpiniaceae
- Habit
- Tree
- Habitat
- Deciduous forest and Planted
- Habitat type
- Forest, Cultivated
- Native to
- South China, Southeast Asia
- Distribution
- Southeast Asia, India
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Puducherry, Odisha, Tripura
- Flowering & fruiting
- February-December; Fruits throughout the year
- Conservation status
- Least Concern (LC)
Leaf characters
- Leaf arrangement
- AlternaterecordedOne leaf per node, arranged in a spiral or zigzag up the stem.“The leaves are alternate, 10–20 centimetres (4–8 in) long and broad, rounded, and bilobed at the base and apex.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf type
- Bilobed (two leaflets, often butterfly-shaped)recorded
- Leaf shape
- OrbicularrecordedRounded, roughly circular.“The leaves are alternate, 10–20 centimetres (4–8 in) long and broad, rounded, and bilobed at the base and apex.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
Characters marked “recorded” are for Kaniar itself; the rest are typical of the Caesalpiniaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- Pinkrecorded
- Fruit type
- LegumerecordedA dry pod that splits open along two seams (typical of the pea/bean family).“The fruit is a pod measuring 30 cm (12 in) long, containing 12 to 16 seeds.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
- Flower symmetry
- Zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Raceme
- Fruit
- Legume
Characters marked “recorded” are for Kaniar itself; the rest are typical of the Caesalpiniaceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Hindi
- Kaniar कनियार, khairwal,कोविदार kovidar
- Nepali
- टाँकी Taankee, रातो कोइरालो Raato Koiraalo, टाँकी
- Bengali
- Koiral, দেবকাঞ্চন, বেগুনি কাঞ্চন
- Tamil
- மந்தாரை Mandara, நீலத்திருவத்தி Nilattiruvatti, மந்தாரை
- Telugu
- దేవకాంచనం, కాంచనం, దేవకాంచనము
- Kannada
- ಕಂಚುವಾಳ Kanchuvaala, ಕಂಚಿವಾಳ Kanchivaala, ಕಂಚವಾಳ Kanchavaala, ಬಸವನ ಪಾದ
- Malayalam
- ചുവന്നമന്ദാരം
- Marathi
- रक्त कंचन Rakta kanchan, रक्तकांचन
- Assamese
- ৰঙা কাঞ্চন
Kaniar in India
This flowering tree, known as Kaniar कनियार (Hindi), மந்தாரை Mandara (Tamil), దేవకాంచనం (Telugu), ಕಂಚುವಾಳ Kanchuvaala (Kannada), ചുവന്നമന്ദാരം (Malayalam), रक्त कंचन Rakta kanchan (Marathi), is a common ornamental and roadside tree. Bauhinia purpurea is found across Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, often planted for its showy flowers.
Uses
The unopened flower buds are cooked as a vegetable (kachnar ki sabzi), a popular seasonal dish in North India, and the tree is widely planted along roads and in gardens for its abundant purple-pink blossom.
How to Identify Kaniar
A small to medium tree with distinctive two-lobed leaves shaped like a camel's footprint or a butterfly's wings — the clearest identifying feature. Flowers have five narrow purple-pink petals with prominent stamens, followed by long, flat, dry pods.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Purple Orchid Tree called in different Indian languages?
- Kaniar कनियार (Hindi); மந்தாரை Mandara (Tamil); దేవకాంచనం (Telugu); ಕಂಚುವಾಳ Kanchuvaala (Kannada); ചുവന്നമന്ദാരം (Malayalam); रक्त कंचन Rakta kanchan (Marathi); Koiral (Bengali).
- Why are the leaves shaped like that?
- Bauhinia leaves are divided into two rounded lobes, resembling a camel's footprint or a butterfly, a distinctive feature of the whole genus.
- Is kachnar ki sabzi made from this tree?
- Yes — the unopened flower buds of Bauhinia purpurea (and related Bauhinia species) are cooked into the North Indian seasonal dish kachnar ki sabzi.
Caesalpiniaceae
Senna family
Kaniar belongs to the Caesalpiniaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
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Common plant problems
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All plant problem & care guidesMore in Caesalpiniaceae
View all CaesalpiniaceaeSources: GBIF — Bauhinia purpurea (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Bauhinia purpurea (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)