Brachychiton Bidwillii

[Eric in Orlando]

Brachychiton bidwillii is flowering. This is a nice tree, small, only grows to about 10ft, fairly cold hardy, and very drought tolerant. The foliage is nice also, would be a good specimen for a small yard.

[Cycadcenter]

Eric,

It's a great small shrubby tree which bursts into great colour. ours are just about to bloom and I will post a photo if I remember to take one. outs tent to be absolutly covered in flowers all along the branches and down the trunks as well.

They are an endangered species in Australia.

Bruce

[Wai`anae Steve]

Looks good would love seeds if you can get any. Have you seen the flame tree?

Australian Flame Tree

I have one that has flowered for a few years but has not set any seeds. I got my seeds from Hoomaluhea Gardens.

[BigFrond]

Eric,

It's a great small shrubby tree which bursts into great colour. ours are just about to bloom and I will post a photo if I remember to take one. outs tent to be absolutly covered in flowers all along the branches and down the trunks as well.

They are an endangered species in Australia.

Bruce

Autralian flame tree has very weak root system, especially B. Acerifolius. Both of mine (9 feet) were taken out by the last Santa Ana wind. The San Diego Wild Animal Park lost about 10 fully grown ones about 5 years ago to a Santa Ana wind storm. I still have a big B. Discolor... uhmmm... I had to lopped off about 6 feet of the 2 top branches to save it from the same storm.

[Wai`anae Steve]

Eric,

It's a great small shrubby tree which bursts into great colour. ours are just about to bloom and I will post a photo if I remember to take one. outs tent to be absolutly covered in flowers all along the branches and down the trunks as well.

They are an endangered species in Australia.

Bruce

Autralian flame tree has very weak root system, especially B. Acerifolius. Both of mine (9 feet) were taken out by the last Santa Ana wind. The San Diego Wild Animal Park lost about 10 fully grown ones about 5 years ago to a Santa Ana wind storm. I still have a big B. Discolor... uhmmm... I had to lopped off about 6 feet of the 2 top branches to save it from the same storm.

My big Flame tree has survived a few storms of 50 mph + and shown no damage at all. It is a "forest" of other trees and not standing alone. Perhaps that's why its still standing.

[aussiearoids]

Flame trees withstood a very severe cyclone here recently . I did not see any damage on the hundreds of native ones around here .

[Cycadcenter]

We haven't had any problem with ours here either, I fact I don't think I've ever seen one blown over either here or in Australia.

Not too sure what is happening out out Wild Animal Park either cause we just supplied an order to Brickman's out there for a new section

with about 50 brachychitions so they can't be too worried.

Bruce

Edited April 25, 2008 by Cycadcenter

[BigFrond]

Flame trees withstood a very severe cyclone here recently . I did not see any damage on the hundreds of native ones around here .

About 5 years ago, they lost many in the Autrailian Rainforest at the Wild Animal Park. I collected the seeds there. The Wild Animal Park's grove is on a hillside and protected by many trees and palms. After seeing this, I planted mine as far away from the house as possible. Maybe my problem is due to the fact that I live on a a hill. I had one next to my royal palm for two years with no problem. The only problem, it was to close to the royal so I took this one out with a saw. My other two were taken out by ole Santa Ana. They have big, green leaves and were growin very fast. However, when I check the roots, they were rather small for the size of the trees. My B. Discolor is a beauty.

[mppalms]

Eric,

It looks like you have the same form I have (deep pink flowers about 1-1.5 cm wide). I tend to get more flowers along the branches (it's only budding now, probably because we're quite a bit cooler in spring than you guys). This is a great tree, and I'm glad to see you're promoting it. It takes winter rain and cold and seems fully hardy where I am. It probably likes your climate better but is happy enough here, too.

Jason

[fastfeat]

Eric,

It's a great small shrubby tree which bursts into great colour. ours are just about to bloom and I will post a photo if I remember to take one. outs tent to be absolutly covered in flowers all along the branches and down the trunks as well.

They are an endangered species in Australia.

Bruce

Autralian flame tree has very weak root system, especially B. Acerifolius. Both of mine (9 feet) were taken out by the last Santa Ana wind. The San Diego Wild Animal Park lost about 10 fully grown ones about 5 years ago to a Santa Ana wind storm. I still have a big B. Discolor... uhmmm... I had to lopped off about 6 feet of the 2 top branches to save it from the same storm.

Almost certainly the ones that failed had girdling roots. This is VERY common for Brachychitons grown in SoCal. Can't begin to enumerate the 2-3' tall LINERS I used to see at various liner growers that many nurseries scooped up to plant directly into 5gal cans. Thought they were getting a bargain...

This is very common with Ceiba/Chorisia speciosa as well. Both grow very fast as seedlings, and, of course, growers are reluctant to dump their investments.

When well grown, these are strong, durable trees.

[Charles Wychgel]

I have a B.rupestris planted too close to a Sabal "riverside" so I want to move the Brachychiton...any thoughts if this is possible or is it just not worth the trouble?

[fastfeat]

I have a B.rupestris planted too close to a Sabal "riverside" so I want to move the Brachychiton...any thoughts if this is possible or is it just not worth the trouble?

Charles--

I'd say its too big to move successfully. The Sabal would be an easier candidate to move.

[Cycadcenter]

I have a B.rupestris planted too close to a Sabal "riverside" so I want to move the Brachychiton...any thoughts if this is possible or is it just not worth the trouble?

If you have access to the right equipment it shouldn't be too difficult, we try and get a rootball about a metre in diameter and lift it out with a crane or loader. You may have to cut some roots but that won't hurt them.

Here is a link from a friend in Oz you may find interesting.

http://www.bottletrees.info/page8.htm

Bruce

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

I have a B.rupestris planted too close to a Sabal "riverside" so I want to move the Brachychiton...any thoughts if this is possible or is it just not worth the trouble?

Charles--

I'd say its too big to move successfully. The Sabal would be an easier candidate to move.

Yes, even though both could be moved successfully, the Sabal would be far easier.

BTW, in the Deerfield beach Arboretum we have a few Brachys, some with good root systems and at least one that has a beautiful top but a weak (girdled) root system. I have root pruned it to cut the circling roots and I expect it to come out of it in a year or two. The 30 foot B. discolor came through Hurricane Wilma (with gusts in the 120mph range) with little or no damage. Great underused trees in Florida.

Jerry

[Charles Wychgel]

Thanks guys I will be doing some serious thinking about this - one factor is that the B. rupestris is easily replaced, lots of them for sale here in Portugal whereas the Sabal - I brought it in as a seedling from California - is irreplaceable.

[Cycadcenter]

Some of ours are in flower now!!

[mppalms]

Some of ours are in flower now!!

Bruce,

Yours is nice. Do you know what part of the habitat it is from (north/south, inland/more coastal)? I have one that is just starting to open buds, but it seems to open only a few at a time. I also lose a few buds along the way. Maybe aggressive hummingbirds or squirrels are knocking them off? (We have tons of both, the former a real pleasure and the latter being serious pests at times.)

Jason

[Cycadcenter]

Jason,

Here is a link to some info for you:

http://asgap.org.au/b-bidw.html

Bruce

[mppalms]

Jason,

Here is a link to some info for you:

http://asgap.org.au/b-bidw.html

Bruce

Thanks for the link, Bruce. The one I have has pink flowers with deeper veining (nectar guides?). It's just about to pop a lot of buds open and I think I'll snap a picture of it. If my memory serves me, I bought it from a nursery in FL as a little seedling. I wouldn't call it a fast grower, but it has taken all that the elements can throw at it in the SF bay area. When it was smaller, it seemed to remain evergreen, but it now pretty reliably loses its leaves for about 2-3 months during the winter. It starts to grow new ones as the buds swell. Hummingbirds are attracted to it but seem puzzled by the hairy flowers.

Jason