Brachychiton rupestris - Queensland bottle tree
We'd call this unmistakable outback tree a true blue Aussie favourite, except it's from Queensland... so maybe that should be true-maroon?
You'll need a big garden to show it off full grown, when that distinctive wine-bottle shape starts to develop in the trunk. It packs away water in that fat trunk, for use in hard times.
It drops its leaves in spring so - lIke its rellos - it can better show off its small pink-cream flowers on bare branches. Those tiny flowers turn into chunky woody pods ideal for floral decor. Long skinny glossy dark leaves grow broader as they age.
You can find this tree from the coast to the desert of QLD, growing in heavy clay or light sand, as it's heat and humidity tolerant and super-drought hardy too.
There's some fine mature specimens along Roma's streets; in Anzac Square Brisbane if you're passing; in the botanic gardens in Perth; and the Weird and Wonderful garden at RBG Cranbourne.
Pods image: Margaret Donald cropped to size.
Brachychiton rupestris - Queensland bottle tree
APPEARANCE : Deciduous Australian native tree with a rounded crown and large swollen trunk which stores water. 'Rupestris' means living among rocks. Trunks can be up to 4m around in old trees.Leaves fall during the dry season, or before flowering in spring. Small starry cream-pink flowers follow in clusters during spring-summer, usually on bare branches, followed by large dark brown wooden pods with yellow banana-like seeds inside.
USE FOR : Large gardens as a feature and shade tree. The distinctive trunk will begin to form after 5-8 years. Excellent shade, food, and shelter plant for wildlife
CLIMATE : Tolerates light frost once established. Trees can withstand bushfire.
PLANTING : Full sun to part shade. Suits most soil types except very alkaline.
CARE: Mulch and water well for up to 12 weeks or until the plant is established. Drought hardy once mature.
HEIGHT & WIDTH : 10-20m H x 5-10m W, often smaller in garden settings.
YOUR PLANTS : These are tubestock plants, healthy young plants with new roots that will establish quickly in your garden. The pot size is 80mm high and 42 mm wide.
You can see an example in the image gallery.
What is tubestock?
| Plants For State | ACT,NSW,NT,QLD,SA,TAS,VIC,WA |
|---|---|
| In Stock | in 4-6 weeks |
