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Trees

Brachychiton acerifolius

flame kurrajong

A open-branched tropical evergreen tree ultimately reaching 35m in height. Aptly named the Illawarra Flame Tree, due to the large, terminal panicles of bowl-shaped coral-red flowers to 2cm across, produced in summer before the leathery, glossy, bright green, usually palmate leaves to 20cm long, with 3 to 5-lobes appear

Other common names

Illawarra flame tree
flame tree

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Plant nurseries
2 suppliers

Ultimate height

Higher than 12 metres

Time to ultimate height

20–50 years

Ultimate spread

Wider than 8 metres

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

H1C

Botanical details

Family: Malvaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Spreading branched
Genus: Brachychiton is a genus of around 31 species of dome-shaped trees or large shrubs, native to mainly Australia. Some have large, swollen trunks and most produce masses of bell-shaped crimson, cream or pink flowers in the spring
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, well-drained soil in frost-free climates only; or grow in a container of peat-free, loam-based potting compost with added sharp sand in full light in a frost-free greenhouse or conservatory

Propagation

Propagate by seed as soon as ripe with heat in a propagator, or semi-ripe cuttings in summer, or hardwood cuttings in early autumn with bottom heat in a propagator

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
Coastal
Sub-tropical
Low Maintenance
Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

Pruning group 1; needs restrictive pruning under glass

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite under glass

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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