Brachychiton acerifolius seed

LATIN NAME: Brachychiton acerifolius

COMMON NAME: Illawarra Flame Tree, Flame Bottle Tree, Kurrajong

The Illawarra flame tree is one of the most spectacular of the flowering trees, and its great blaze of scarlet bells can turn a whole tree into a sheet of flame. It grows as a large, deciduous tree, reaching up to thirty metres, with a broad crown of glossy, maple-like leaves and, in late spring and early summer, the astonishing display, when the tree sheds its leaves and the whole crown is covered in thousands of bright red, bell-shaped flowers, so that it burns with a scarlet flame, followed by the clusters of woody, boat-shaped pods of many seeds. It is a large tree of the mallow family, endemic to the tropical and subtropical regions on the east coast of Australia, and it is famous for the bright red bell-shaped flowers that often cover the whole tree.

The Illawarra flame tree belongs to the mallow family, Malvaceae, and it is a large tree endemic to the tropical and subtropical regions on the east coast of Australia. It is famous for the bright red bell-shaped flowers that often cover the whole tree, and it is also known as the flame bottle tree or the kurrajong.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

The Illawarra flame tree has a genuine and growing place in both horticultural and ecological research. It has been studied in horticulture, since it is one of the most spectacular of the flowering trees, prized for its astonishing blaze of scarlet bloom, and researchers have examined its cultivation, its growth and its value in the warm garden, while its spectacular flowering has made it a celebrated tree of the Australian gardens and the avenues, and its flowering, which covers the whole leafless crown, has been examined. The tree has also been studied in ecology, since it is a native of the eastern Australian forests, and researchers have examined its growth, its flowering and its role in the forest community, while the native trees of Australia have been studied for their value to the wildlife and to the landscape, and the seed pods of the flame tree have been examined for their traditional uses, since the seeds and the roots have long been used by the Aboriginal peoples. The species has also been studied in botany, since it is a member of the mallow family, and its classification and its relationships have been examined. For a tree of such flame, the Illawarra flame tree has a rich and growing record of research.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

Ecologically, the Illawarra flame tree is a spectacular tree of the eastern Australian forests. Its scarlet bells feed the birds and the insects, its pods and seeds feed the wildlife, and its broad crown gives shade and shelter, while it is a blaze of flame in the spring landscape.

Its economic value is real. It is one of the most spectacular of the flowering trees, grown in the gardens, the parks and along the avenues of the warm world, and its flame of bloom has drawn attention in the international horticultural press as one of the great flowering trees of Australia, while the seeds and the roots have also had their traditional uses. For a grower, the Illawarra flame tree is a rewarding and spectacular tree, and for a gardener in a warm region it brings a whole tree of scarlet flame in the spring. The seeds are easy — nick them lightly, then sow them in a pot of moist, free-draining compost in a warm, sunny spot, water them gently, and they’ll sprout within a couple of weeks, growing on into a fast, flame-flowered tree.

The flame tree is a magnificent ornamental tree that can grow to thirty metres, although when cultivated rarely exceeds 10 metres. It is one of the great feature trees of the world. Its strong smooth trunk is offset by dense light green maple foliage that give way to spectacular rich scarlet flowers (see inset) commencing in late spring. The flowers are bell-shaped and are produced over several months. They can be slow growing when young and will take several years to flower, but once established it is a spectacular pyramidal form with a magnificent flowering display.

A rainforest tree in its own right, it is a tropical, sub-tropical or warm temperate tree, highly versatile and one that has come into its own as a prized bonsai. Please look at our other auctions for seeds of other attractive or unusual native Australians.