Many species are widely planted in the tropics as orchid trees, particularly in India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Nepal and southeastern China.

In the United States, the trees grow in Hawaii, coastal California, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, and Florida.

[8] Parts of some species of bauhinia like B. purpurea and B. malabarica are used in Filipino cuisine (known collectively as alinbánban or alinbángbang,[9] "butterfly").

The five-petaled flowers are 7.5–12.5 cm diameter, generally in shades of red, pink, purple, orange, or yellow, and are often fragrant.

Depending on the species, Bauhinia flowers are usually in magenta, mauve, pink or white hues with crimson highlights.