Flame Tree (Brachychiton acerifolius) is an iconic native rainforest tree that is endemic to sub-tropical and tropical regions on the east coast of Australia.
Flame tree is a large, often deciduous rainforest tree with conspicuous bright green lobed leaves and spectacular, bell-shaped red flowers which are massed on the tree when leafless. It has large, elongated seed pods that change in colour from green to dark brown. The Flame tree can grow up to 35 metres as a tall straight tree in mature rainforest such as at Boorganna Nature Reserve, but only 10-20m when grown in the open.
Photo: brooklynn_wells, iNaturalist
It is one of Australia's most spectacular trees and is widely planted in parks and road verges, as commonly seen around Port Macquarie Hastings towns. It grows naturally from the Shoalhaven River in southern NSW to far north Queensland and has white, very soft and light timber.
The tree is extremely hardy and able to grow in a variety of soils from heavy clay to sandy soil. Flowers appear in late spring/summer. Despite its rainforest habitat, it can tolerate full sun.
Photo: lachlancopeland, iNaturalist
It is currently available at the Port Macquarie Landcare Nursery.
