Brachychiton acerifolius

Brachychiton acerifolius originates in the Australian deserts, where the tree can reach extreme dimensions, although it reaches only medium dimensions under the conditions in Israel. This is a tree with strong apical dominance which is maintained until the tree matures explaining its upright pyramidal shape. It is important to maintain this structure during the first years to make sure there is no damage to the apex and there are no competing leading branches. The leaves of the tree vary in shape and size and can range from 3 to 7 lobes and a size of 8 to 25 cm. This variation is a result of propagation from seeds, a variation that is characteristic for different Brachychiton varieties. Effoliation of the Brachychiton acerifolius depends on the degree of cold during the rainy season; in the mountains and cold places effoliation will occur already in the winter, In other places with mild winters, the tree will enter the process of changing leaves in the spring, which will always be close to flowering. Sometimes the tree will lose all its leaves and bloom intermediately afterwards in a bright red color, in which case the flowering is significant ind impressive with bell-shaped flowers, Sometimes flowering is partially accompanied by old leaves that did not fall off yet. At the end of flowering, the remaining leaves will fall off after which the tree will bud anew and will be covered with new leaves. As is typical for Brachychiton, the Brachychiton acerifolius will develop a thick trunk that will usually be green changing to brown in some cases when the tree matures. The thick trunk contains a lot of water that helps the tree to overcome dry periods and it is therefore considered water-conserving. The Brachychiton acerifolius is sensitive to cold and heat, especially during its first years, and the trunk may be damaged by sun-scald. Due to the thick trunk and the tap roots that are actually a continuation of the trunk, care must be taken to leave ample space between the planted tree and the edge of the sidewalk/surrounding pavement, otherwise the thickening trunk will ‘push’ the soil around it, the curb stones and basically its entire surrounding. The red tree pods contain yellow seeds resembling corn kernels. Bristles contained in the pod can cause irritation.

This is an excellent tree with significant flowering, suitable mainly for singular use, in groups or in wide traffic islands. Due to the variations, it is recommended to plant grafted trees. When using the tree as a street tree, the potential that trunk thickening may cause damage to the infrastructure in the future must be considered. The tree must be watered regularly after planting until it is established. The amount of irrigation greatly influences the growth rate during the first years. Once established, the tree is very economical and does not require more than a little auxiliary watering during the summer.

Others in the family: Brachychiton acerifolius | Brachychiton pink acerifolius | Brachychiton australis | Brachychiton discolor | Brachychiton rupestris | Brachychiton populneus | Brachychiton populneus ‘Aleh Komfor’,