Brachychiton Species, Flame Bottletree, Flame Kurrajong, Illawara Flame Tree

I have not grown this plant which grows well in the Hawaiian Islands.

I saw a group of these trees flowering away in Hayward in the east bay area. I had the same thought as the first poster-these trees and J...Read Moreacaranda's go together. If i had the room...

This tree grows extremely well in the Canary Islands. It may not be popular (yet) but I was pleasantly surprised to see them growing and ...Read Moreflowering in the City of Puerto del Rosario on the island of Fuerteventura. They also grow the "populenius" species in the same road.

I have, in fact, started to grow my own trees from seeds I collected when I was last in Puerto del Rosario. So, in five to ten years, watch this space!

This attractive tree actually does take some frost- I have one in the yard and it's done fine down to about 27F without a burned leaf. I...Read More know they can handle much colder since it's gotten down to the low 20s briefly in LA and there are still very old happy looking specimens growing all over. They don't seem to flower as profusely in a marginal climate, but they still do, and are beautiful. The leaves are a brilliant green and soft texture. They don't bottle up like some of the other Brachychitons, but still make interesting sillohuetes.

Often used as a companion plant to the jacaranda and flowering at about the same time is the Illawarra flame tree, or flame kurrajong. It...Read More is native to the forests of eastern Australia, and grows to about 15 metres (45') tall in cultivation. The leathery green leaves are big and maple-like, hence the name, but they vary - some have lobes, others don't. Flowering is also variable - sometimes they flower on one side only, sometimes they never flower, or they may flower one year but not the next. However a good specimen in full flower is an unforgettable sight - a mass of bright, scarlet bells which rivals the display of the jacaranda. The Illawarra flame tree grows best in warm climates in a sunny spot, with well-drained fertile soil and protection from wind and frost.