BRACHYCHITON incarnatus (hybrid

Brachychiton 'Incarnatus' (Brachychiton x incarnatus) is a flame tree at garden scale, a cross between the kurrajong and the Queensland lacebark that settles at around 8m tall and 5m wide. It is deciduous, and the pink bell flowers open on bare branches, so nothing competes with the display. Once established it takes heat, drought and wind in its stride.

Why you'll love it

• Pink flowers on bare wood. Leaves drop ahead of flowering, so the bells read as solid colour against the sky.
• Shade at a suburban scale. At roughly 8m by 5m it shades a driveway or a seating area without the bulk of a paddock tree.
• Hard to knock about once away. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant and wind tolerant, so it holds up in hot inland gardens.
• Native, and the birds find it. Nectar feeding birds work the flowers, and the tree asks for no routine pruning once its shape is set.

Where it works best

Shade tree. Plant it where you want summer shade and winter sun. Allow at least 3m clear of a house wall.

Driveways and avenues. Spaced 6m to 8m apart the canopies meet overhead without crowding, which suits a long entry or a rural drive.

Feature planting. A single tree on open lawn is the honest way to use it, since the trunk and branch structure hold interest all winter.

Growing hybrid kurrajong in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, in an open spot with room for the canopy. It suits tropical, subtropical, warm temperate and arid or semi-arid gardens. Light frost only, so cold inland districts, the tablelands and hard frosting southern gardens sit outside its range.

Soil. Drainage matters more than soil type. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound and work compost through a wide bed. Keep 75mm of mulch clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers, then step back. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is plenty.

Pruning. Lift the lower branches over two or three winters for clearance over cars or mowing, and take out crossing limbs while they are small.

What to expect when it arrives

Sold in one size, an ex ground specimen at 5m to 5.5m, field grown and lifted with a root ball rather than raised in a pot. You are buying instant height, not a stick that needs five years.

Ex ground stock is lifted to order in the cooler months, so allow time between ordering and delivery, and have machinery and a prepared hole ready on the day. Delivered Australia wide, with advanced and large stock freighted at cost and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Expect a quiet first season while the roots rebuild, then strong growth. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full ex ground tree range
• Choosing a canopy tree for shade
• Trees for lining a driveway in Australia
• Compare other Australian native trees

Common questions

How big will it get in a suburban garden?

About 8m tall and 5m across at maturity, a medium tree rather than a large one. Give it 4m of clearance from a boundary and it will not crowd the fence line.

Does it lose its leaves every year?

Yes. Leaf drop happens before flowering, which is what makes the pink bells so visible. Expect litter for a few weeks, then a clean canopy of bare branches.

Will it cope with frost?

Light frost only, and young trees are the vulnerable ones. In a district that frosts at all, plant in spring and protect the trunk through the first two winters.

How much water does it need once established?

Very little. After two summers of deep weekly watering it is drought tolerant, and in most warm temperate gardens it holds through a dry season on rainfall alone.