One of the great flowering trees of the world.Native to Eastern Australian rainforests it has been widely planted around the world and does well in well drained rich soils.It may take up to 7 years to flower but is easily grown from seed. In its native habitat it can be seen high up the slopes of rainforested escarpments protruding in all its red flowering glory above the canopy. Its major downfall is its notoriously unpredictable shape and flowering.When it grows into a pyramidal tree in full sushine it is unrivalled.An example of such a tree exists in the town park in Kiama,just south of Sydney. These days there are a number of grafted varieties like B.Beau Bells and B.Belladonna which combine the flowering characteristics of other Brachychiton species such as B.discolor and B.bidwillii.
