#brachychiton

Brachychiton discolor

The Australian genus Brachychiton is now included in the Malvaceae (the Mallow Family, or Hibiscus Family), but it belongs to a group that was formerly placed in the family Sterculiaceae. Brachychiton discolor is native to eastern Australia, in New South Wales and Queensland, and in habitat it can become very large - up to 30 m (100 feet). However, plants grown in California seem to stay much shorter than this, and after 40 years, our tree is only about 30 feet tall (9 m). Branches coming into flower tend to shed their leaves, but often parts of the tree will come into bloom while others will not. In the upper photo, the right half of the tree has shed its leaves and burst into flower, while the left half is holding back. At the bud stage, the flowers are covered with wooly brown hairs, but they open bright pink, with a dark red cup at the center. It is interesting to note that Brachychiton flowers lack petals, but the sepals are colorful and do the job of attracting pollinators.

Plant of the Day

Friday 17 February 2023

In this tropical glasshouse a major vertical feature is the trunk of Brachychiton rupestris (Australian barrel tree, Australian bottle tree, kurrajong, narrow-leaved bottle tree, Queensland bottle tree). This is considered an iconic Australian tree that is both fast-growing and extremely drought tolerant.

The common names drives from Carrejun and carrejan - the indigenous names of the trees in the Blue Mountains foothills near Sydney. Brachychiton refers to the 'short tunics' of the seeds.

Kurrajongs are Australian trees in the same family as Hibiscus, with water-storing trunks and leaves that may be up to 9-lobed, or simple with pendulous tips as here. It grows in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, from wetter areas and out into dry country, but has become somewhat invasive in SW Australia where it was introduced as an ornamental.

Indigenous peoples used the tree's seeds as food when cleaned and roasted, the seed pods as toys, the soft spongey wood as a water source and for shields, and the bark as a source of fibre. Apparently the seeds can also be used as a coffee substitute, if you're desperate.

The moths responsible for the object in the second photo are also known as Kurrajong Leaf-tiers, from their habit of binding leaves together with silk (often comunally) and emerge at night to skeletonise them. They also feed on Brachychiton rupestris (the Queensland Bottle Tree) and Brachychiton acerifolium (Flame Tree). Both species, like the Kurrajong, are popular oranmental trees, making the moths a bit of a problem for saplings, if they occur in large numbers.

The adult is photographed below, by Donald Hobern