My wife wants a Bauhinia blakeana (Hong Kong orchid tree). Everything I read says it gets 30-40' tall and wide. That is too big for our yard. My wife says they don't get big beachside. 

Does anyone grow this tree or know of any growing beachside? How big do beachside orchid trees get?

 

I think the Hong Kong orchid tree is a sterile hybrid, so no seeds.  Good.  But most of the orchid trees (don't know about the Hong Kong) have very weak, rot-prone trunks/branches and can fall without warning.  Not good for parking lots!

I'm having a hard time thinking of good beachside flowering trees.  If somewhat inland, crape myrtles should do OK, and they come in a range of sizes.  Measure the space available, go to a crape guide and pick a variety or two that meet the specs, then search the nurseries.  

Sophora tomentosa, necklace pod, doesn't reach tree size (Sophora has a huge distribution with a bunch of species in New Zealand that look like ours, so I suspect tree-sized cultivated species can be found), and I don't think  Jamaica caper, Capparis cyanophallophora, will for us.  

 

Don't plant it. I'm not sure how big they will get beachside, but I planted one once and eventually majete' it out. It gets big fast, drops a lot of junk. Not that ornamental of a tree in my opinion.

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like I should nix getting the tree. Earlier this year we planted an ipe and jacaranda. They both flower in the spring, will see how they do...