Texas Orchid Tree

Yesterday I was taking pictures of the first sprigs of spring, my favorite part of the season when new leaves poke through the rough barks of what look like dead branches, and suddenly everything looks hopeful again. I especially love a native plant called the Texas Orchid Tree which I discovered a few years ago. It flowers only for a short time in early spring, coming suddenly, when the bushes or little trees are full of gorgeous white blooms. But first, comes the leaves. Tiny bright green leaves that grow to about the size of newborns’ palms, looking just as fragile and yet just as full of potential. What’s more, the Texas orchid tree is a relative of the flower of Hong Kong, the Bauhinia, though that flower is a flaming red! We were taught to call the Bauhinia, camel’s foot, in primary school, on account of its leaves, that are shaped like camels’ footprints! Texas Orchid leaves are also shaped like that, only smaller. I’ll tell you more about the camel’s foot tomorrow. Here’s a picture I took yesterday morning. Its hard to see the whole leaf because most of them are still folded up, but I’ll take more pictures when they unclench their fists.