Queensland Bottle Tree

The Queensland Bottle Tree (Brachychiton rupestris) is one of the few trees people stop the car for. Native to the inland brigalow country of southern Queensland, it stores water in a swollen grey trunk that thickens with age into the bottle shape it is named for. In a garden it settles at roughly 8m tall and 4m wide over several decades, and it is slow, which is part of the appeal: a tree you plant once and never have to manage.

Why you'll love it

• A trunk that becomes the feature. The swelling starts young and keeps developing for the life of the tree.
• Built for dry country. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant and content in poor soil. Once established it lives on rainfall.
• Safe near paving. It sends down a deep taproot rather than spreading surface roots, so it can go beside a driveway where a fig never could.
• Wind tolerant. The heavy trunk and open canopy shed wind instead of catching it, which suits exposed blocks.
• Australian native, effectively no maintenance. No pruning, no shaping, no feeding regime. It builds its own form.

Where it works best

Feature planting. A single specimen in a lawn or gravel courtyard does more than a group. Give it 4m of clear width so the trunk can be seen from the street.

Driveways and avenues. Spaced 5m to 8m apart, a row reads as a formal avenue without the root damage most avenue trees eventually cause.

Shade and pots. The canopy casts dappled shade, so lawn still grows underneath. Being so slow, it also holds happily in a 500mm pot for many years.

Growing the Queensland Bottle Tree in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, always. This is a tree for tropical, subtropical, warm temperate and arid gardens, so Brisbane, Sydney, Perth, Darwin and the dry inland all suit it. It takes light frost only, and young plants are the vulnerable ones, so hard frosting districts need a warm sheltered spot and winter protection for the first few years.

Soil. Poor soil is not a problem. Drainage is. It evolved on stony inland slopes and will rot in ground that stays wet, so on clay or in a low spot plant on a mound at least 300mm high.

Water and feed. Water deeply once a week through the first two summers to drive the taproot down, then step back. Established trees rarely need irrigation, and fertiliser only produces soft growth.

Pruning. None required. Remove damaged limbs and otherwise leave it alone. Leaf drop in a dry spell is the tree conserving water, not a problem.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in ten sizes, from 200mm packs of six and 250mm packs of three through single 300mm, 400mm and 500mm pots, then 25L, 45L, 100L, 200L and 300L. Because the tree is slow, size at purchase matters more here than with most plants. A 300mm plant is a slim seedling with the trunk barely started, while the 45L and 100L sizes already show the shape and the 200L and 300L specimens arrive with a substantial trunk.

Plants travel upright and 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. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• More on the bottle tree and how it grows
• Browse Australian native trees
• Compare drought tolerant plants for dry gardens

Common questions

How long before the trunk swells?

It begins within the first few years and keeps developing for the life of the tree. A 45L plant usually shows a clear bottle shape within five to eight years in the ground.

Can I plant it near a house or driveway?

Yes, and that is one of its strengths. The deep taproot means it does not lift paving or invade pipes. Allow around 3m from a structure for the canopy.

Will it survive frost?

Light frost only, and only once established. Young trees are the ones that get damaged. In cold districts keep it potted for the first few winters.