Brachychiton australis

A medium semi-deciduous tree. In Australia one may find many specimens reaching a height of 40 m, but in Israel, the tree will not reach these heights, but is still defined as tall. This definition is not necessarily due to its height, but due to the thickness of the trunk, which tends to grow similar to other Brachychiton varieties. The tree trunk is green when young and turns gray when the tree matures. Brachychiton australis is characterized by prominent apical dominance, especially during its early years, unless the apex is cut off. The tree is an evergreen in its country of origin Australia. In Israel, the Brachychiton australis is a semi-deciduous tree that will shed its leaves in the spring all at once, then will be covered in a creme-colored bloom and new green leaves will grow. The appearance of the foliage is fresh and beautiful, the leaves are palm-like with 5 distinct lobes. The fruit of the tree is a hard pod shaped like a harmonica. The growth rate is greatly influenced by the environmental conditions such as irrigation, soil type and microclimate. The tree copes well with hot and dry conditions and will in fact withstand dry periods. It is however sensitive to sunstroke and extreme heat and is especially sensitive after planting. The tree does not cope well with long cold weather which is understandable based on its origin.

The roots are not considered invasive, but, as mentioned earlier, this variety will grow to large dimensions in an aggressive manner just like other Brachychiton varieties. This must be taken into account at the time of planting to allow sufficient room to grow for the trunk considering the surrounding pavement, as the tree will ‘lift’ the pavement posing a real hazard.

Others in the family:

Brachychiton acerifolius | Brachychiton pink acerifolius | Brachychiton australis | Brachychiton discolor | Brachychiton rupestris | Brachychiton populneus | Brachychiton populneus ‘Aleh Komfor’