Brachychiton rupestris
“Queensland Bottle Tree”

What a huggable tree! An outlandish succulent trunk is the stand out feature of this easy to grow tree from Australia. Drought tolerant, accepting of a wide range of soils (EVEN CLAY) & staying under 30' in cultivation, it's fun choice for a street or garden tree in USDA Zone 9 & up, & because mature trees of this species can be easily transplanted - staying out of the ground for up to 3 months is no problem - you can take it with you - even if you rent! What a catch! Leaves are varied, but generally long & elliptical, & it sports curious & lovely bell shaped yellow flowers in spring, followed by "boat shaped" fruits. In its first two years of growth, a "Queensland Bottle Tree" can grow up to 6', but the trunk doesn't begin to swell until after year three. A full grown tree can be up to 40' tall with a 30' canopy, & the wide trunk can grow up to 6' in diameter. This Buddha-bellied tree is also well-suited to container culture & can be used as bonsai specimen as well!

Claire Woods
Propagator