Brownea Hybrid

The Brownea Hybrid (Brownea grandiceps x macrophylla) is the Rose of Venezuela, a small South American rainforest tree grown for dense scarlet flower heads the size of a grapefruit. In an Australian garden it settles at around 7m tall and 6m wide, usually less, with a low spreading canopy that casts genuine shade. It is a collector's tree that needs warmth and shelter, and nothing else flowers quite like it.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers you will not see anywhere else. Tight scarlet globes sit close to the branches, often low enough to look straight into, and hold for weeks.
• New growth that performs. Fresh leaves emerge limp and pale pink, hanging like handkerchiefs for days before hardening into deep green.
• Birds work it hard. The flower heads carry serious nectar, so honeyeaters find the tree quickly.
• Rare, and stays a manageable size. Seldom offered in Australia, and at roughly 7m it fits a suburban block as most rainforest trees do not.

Where it works best

Feature planting. Give it a warm, sheltered position where the flowers can be seen at close range, such as a courtyard corner or beside an entry path.

Shade in a tropical garden. The canopy spreads wide and low, which suits an understorey planting of gingers, calatheas and ferns beneath it.

Growing Brownea Hybrid in Australia

Position and climate. This is a tropical and subtropical tree and nothing else. It is frost tender, so anywhere frost settles it needs a large pot that can move under cover. Partial shade suits it best, with protection from drying wind; full sun works in the humid tropics but scorches the soft new leaves in drier gardens.

Soil. Deep, rich, well drained soil with plenty of organic matter. Dig compost through the bed before planting and mulch 75mm deep, kept off the trunk. It resents compacted or shallow ground.

Water and feed. This is a high water plant. Keep the root zone consistently moist through the warm months, particularly for the first three summers, and never let a young tree dry out. Feed a complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and again in mid summer.

Pruning. Very little is needed. Remove crossing or damaged wood after flowering, and resist shortening the branches, since the flowers form on established stems.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is supplied in a 100mm pot and generally runs on backorder, because it is grown in small numbers. You are buying a young plant, usually under knee height, with a few sets of leaves and a single stem.

Small pots travel well and establish quickly in warm weather, but be realistic about the wait: a Brownea grown from a young plant takes several years to reach flowering size. Grow it on in a larger pot for a season or two before planting out. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Designing a tropical garden that stays lush
• Browse rare and collectable plants
• Compare other flowering trees
• Plants suited to tropical climates

Common questions

How long until it flowers?

From a 100mm plant, allow several years of steady growth in warm conditions. Feeding, water and shelter shorten the wait more than anything else you can do.

Can I grow it in Sydney, Perth or Melbourne?

Not in the open ground with confidence. It is frost tender and wants humidity, so outside the tropics and subtropics treat it as a container plant that winters under cover in a warm, bright spot.

How much shade does it need?

Partial shade is ideal, especially while young. Dappled light under taller trees mimics the rainforest understorey it comes from and keeps the soft new growth from burning.

Will it get too big for a suburban yard?

At about 7m tall and 6m wide it stays well within the scale of a normal backyard, and cultivated trees usually finish smaller than that. Allow 6m of clear width and keep it away from the house.