Kurrajong Tree

The Little Kurrajong (Brachychiton bidwillii) is the kurrajong that fits a suburban block. Most of the family grow into paddock shade trees, but this one settles at around 4m tall and 3m wide, which is small enough for a front garden, a courtyard or a large pot. Each spring it drops its leaves and covers the bare branches in clusters of deep red and pink bells, so nothing green competes with the display. The roots are well behaved too, which is rare in a flowering tree this loud.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers on bare wood. The spring leaf drop is the point. Clusters of red and pink bells sit directly on the branches, and for several weeks the tree reads as pure colour.
• Small enough to actually use. About 4m by 3m, so it suits a garden where a fig or a flame tree would be a long term mistake.
• Non-invasive roots. It can go near paving, paths and a driveway edge without lifting them a decade later.
• Genuinely tough. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant and content in poor soil once its first couple of summers are behind it.
• Birds work the flowers. Honeyeaters and lorikeets come through for the nectar during the flush.

Where it works best

Feature planting. One plant in a lawn or a front bed carries the whole spring display. Allow 3m of clear width and position it where you see it from inside, because the flowering is short and worth watching.

Small gardens and courtyards. At 4m it stays below most rooflines and will not shade out an entire backyard. That makes it a sensible pick on a narrow block.

Pots and containers. A pot of 60cm or wider with a free draining mix will hold it for years. Container grown plants stay smaller again, which suits a balcony or paved courtyard.

Growing the Little Kurrajong in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering. It suits tropical, subtropical, warm temperate and arid or semi-arid gardens. It takes light frost only, so in the tablelands, cold inland districts and hard frosting southern gardens grow it against a warm north facing wall, or keep it potted so it can be moved under cover for winter.

Soil. Drainage matters far more than fertility. It tolerates poor and rocky ground, but it will sulk where soil stays wet. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound and work compost and coarse grit through the surrounding bed.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers to drive the roots down, then water only in long dry spells. A low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring is all the feeding it asks for.

Pruning. Very little is needed. If you want to lift the canopy or tidy the shape, do it once flowering has finished in late spring or summer. Pruning over winter removes the buds you have been waiting on.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in 25L, 45L and 100L. All three are advanced sizes with a formed trunk and branch structure, so you are buying years of growing rather than starting from a tube. The 25L is the practical choice for most home gardens and establishes fastest. The 45L and 100L arrive carrying real height and presence, and suit a spot where the tree has to do its job immediately.

Because it is deciduous, stock may arrive bare or thinly leafed depending on the season. That is normal and not a fault. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect several quiet weeks while it settles, then a strong flush in the following warm season. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full range of Australian native trees
• Native plants with red flowers
• Unusual trees worth a spot in the garden
• Preparing a new garden bed before planting

Common questions

Is it deciduous?

Yes, and deliberately so. It sheds its leaves ahead of flowering in spring, blooms on the bare branches, then leafs up again for summer. In warm frost free gardens the leaf drop can be brief or only partial.

How long before it flowers?

Advanced 25L and larger plants are usually at or near flowering size already, and often bloom in their first or second spring after planting once the roots have taken hold.

Will the roots lift paving or find pipes?

This species carries a non-invasive root rating, which is why it is one of the safer flowering trees to use beside a path, a courtyard or a driveway edge. Normal sensible clearance from services still applies.

Can I keep it in a pot long term?

Yes. Use a pot of at least 60cm with a free draining mix, water deeply rather than often, and repot or root prune every few years. It will stay noticeably smaller than a ground planted specimen.