Brachychiton Species, Australian Bottle Tree, Queensland Kurrajong

This is amendment to the comment I made 10 years ago about leaf shape (under the name BotanyBob then)... This plant can have a variety of...Read More leaf shapes from palmate (3 sections) but either fat palmate, or super skinny palmate (my favorite form) or just fusiform (most common form seen at botanical gardens in So California). I always thought the leaf variety showed hybridizing had been going on (very promiscuous genus)... but not so sure now. Rest of plant is pretty consistent.

I got some seeds and planted them. I came across this tree at a park you can say :) I've only ever saw these trees in pictures...never in...Read More person. When I saw this tree in person I fell in love with it! It is very breathtaking. Well I now have 4 that have sprouted and I have about 10 more that should sprout very soon! I'm so excited. If anyone in my area would like one when they get a little bigger, just let me know. I will sell or trade a couple next yr. (spring/summer 2013)

Growing very well in Las Vegas NV. Just over 4 years old. Over 10' tall in a 45 gal liner.

I started this plant from seed outside to be used as a house plant. 5 came up & thier three months old. I just noticed they have spider...Read More mites & have sprayed them with diazinon outside. I pulled on one that looked the worst & a small bottle trunk appeared which was under the soil. Does anyone know how else to get rid of the mites? I cant water them a whole lot or they might rot. Thank-you for any info. Rachele

This Australian tree is grown for its massive, swollen trunk. It grows from 2' to 10' in 3-4 years given plenty of heat, and then seems t...Read Moreo slow down a little and fatten up. Mature trees over 50 years old can have trunks 20' in circumference. The trunks are smooth and a greenish grey. The leaves on this tree are palmately lobed and dark green, with red veination. It has whitish, pink flowers but only occasionally and are not one of its more impressive features (unlike several other spectacularly flowered Brachychitons). Though it is somewhat frost tender, it can easily recover from temps down into the low 20s. It also stores a significant amount of water in its trunk and is very drought tolerant. It makes a good addition to a cactus/ succulent garden. However it does tend to lose its leaves late in winter, necessitating picking of leaves out of cactus spines.