BRACHYCHITON acerifolius x populneus ‘Bella Pink’ grafted

Bella Pink is a grafted hybrid kurrajong (Brachychiton acerifolius x populneus 'Bella Pink') that carries the flame tree's mass of bells in soft pink rather than scarlet, on a tougher, better behaved frame. Expect around 7m tall and 3.5m wide in a home garden, with a neat upright canopy that suits a driveway or a front lawn. Because it is grafted, every tree flowers true to colour rather than taking a decade to reveal itself.

Why you'll love it

• Pink bells in quantity. The flowering habit comes from the flame tree parent, so the display is heavy and held on bare wood where nothing competes with it.
• Grafted, so no lottery. Seedling kurrajongs vary in colour and habit. A graft gives you this exact flower and this exact form.
• Genuinely drought hardy. The populneus parent brings heat and dry tolerance, so it holds up in arid and semi-arid gardens once established.
• A tree that feeds wildlife. Nectar draws honeyeaters, bees and butterflies through the flowering weeks.

Where it works best

Feature planting. One tree on a front lawn or in a courtyard is the highest use of it. At 3.5m wide the canopy stays in scale with a suburban block.

Driveways and avenues. Allow 5m between trees so each canopy keeps its shape and the flowering reads as a run rather than a thicket.

Shade. The canopy is open enough to sit under without killing the lawn beneath it, and it suits pool surrounds and entertaining areas.

Growing Bella Pink in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. It is at home in tropical, subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi-arid gardens. It takes light frost only, so cold tableland and inland frost hollow sites are outside its range.

Soil. Free draining soil of almost any type. It tolerates poor ground and dislikes waterlogging, so on heavy clay plant slightly proud and mound the backfill.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers while the root ball knits into the surrounding soil, then only in extended dry weather. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is plenty.

Pruning. Little is needed beyond shaping in the first few years. It is semi deciduous around flowering, dropping leaves as the buds open, which is normal behaviour and not stress.

What to expect when it arrives

This is an ex ground tree supplied at 4.5m to 5m, field grown and lifted with a root ball rather than raised in a pot. You are buying a decade of growth in one delivery, and the tree has real presence from the day it goes in.

Plan the hole and the access before it arrives, because a tree this size needs machinery or several people to place. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, delivered Australia wide with a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Expect some leaf drop after transplanting while the root system re-establishes over the first year. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the ex ground tree range
• Australian native trees for larger gardens
• Choosing a feature tree for a front yard
• How to transplant a tree so it establishes well

Common questions

What does ex ground mean?

The tree is grown in the field, then lifted with its root ball wrapped for transport rather than being sold in a pot. It buys you size, and in return it needs prompt planting and steady water through its first year.

How far from the house should I plant it?

Allow at least 4m from a building or paving for a canopy this size. Kurrajong roots are not aggressive, but the crown needs room to spread without touching the roof line.

Will it lose its leaves?

Partly. It is semi deciduous and sheds leaves as flowering begins, then refoliates straight afterwards. The bare period is short and it is what makes the flower display so visible.