About Brachychiton bidwillii Hook.
Brachychiton bidwillii Hook. is most often a semi-deciduous or evergreen shrub, and sometimes grows as a small single-stemmed tree. Mature specimens reach 4 to 7 metres tall and spread 4 metres wide, though some varieties stay under 2 metres tall. This species has a distended caudex, and its fleshy stems store large amounts of water. Showy flowers emerge after the leaves drop, during a 4 to 6 week spring blooming period. In frost-free environments in the Southern Hemisphere, flowering can begin as early as July and continue through February. As the plant matures, it produces flowers more abundantly, with blooms growing all the way down its trunk. For cultivation, Brachychiton bidwillii is grown in USDA Zones 9 through 11 in full sun. It tolerates frost down to at least −6 °C (21 °F), and is drought tolerant from just one month old thanks to its early developing tuberous roots. It grows well with pruning and when kept in pots, though heavy pruning can reduce flower production. Popular cultivated varieties include ‘Large Pink’ and ‘Large Red’. It can be easily propagated from seed or via grafting. The plant’s trunk is covered in corky bark, which was historically used to make canoes by Australian Aboriginal people.
