Firewheel Tree

The Firewheel Tree (Stenocarpus sinuatus) is an Australian rainforest native that flowers like nothing else in the garden: clusters of scarlet tubes arranged in a perfect spoked wheel, set against dark glossy foliage. In cultivation it grows slowly to around 8m tall and 4m wide, a fraction of the 30m it reaches in wild rainforest, which is what makes it usable on a suburban block.

Why you'll love it

• The flower is genuinely unusual. Scarlet florets radiate from a central hub like the spokes of a wheel, held in clusters through the warmer months.
• Evergreen and glossy all year. Deeply lobed dark leaves carry the tree between flowering periods, so it holds its own as a foliage plant.
• A manageable size in the garden. Around 8m by 4m in cultivation, and slow to get there, so it suits a front lawn where a fast rainforest tree would become a problem.
• Roots that behave, and birds that come. Non-invasive roots let it sit near paving, while the nectar heavy flowers pull honeyeaters and lorikeets into the garden.

Where it works best

Feature planting. Place it where you will see it in flower, near a window, a deck or the approach to the house. A single specimen in lawn shows the flower and leaf shape better than a crowded bed.

Shade tree. The canopy is dense and evergreen, giving year round shade over a seating area without the leaf drop of a deciduous tree.

Driveways and avenues. Its upright habit and well behaved roots make it a sound avenue choice. Allow at least 4m between trees so each canopy can reach full width.

Growing Firewheel Tree in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun produces the heaviest flowering, though young trees appreciate protection from harsh afternoon sun early on. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens and handles heat and humidity well. It takes light frost only, so cold inland districts are outside its range.

Soil. Deep, free draining soil enriched with organic matter suits it best. It will not tolerate waterlogging, so mound the position on heavy clay. Mulch 75mm deep, clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Water deeply twice a week through the first two summers, since dry roots set a slow establisher back further than most trees. Feed a low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring.

Pruning. Very little is needed and very little is wise. Remove damaged wood and lift the lower branches gradually for a clear trunk. Avoid hard pruning, which spoils the natural shape and can delay flowering.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow it in seven sizes, from tube stock through to 100L. Tube stock and the 140mm and 200mm packs are young single stemmed plants and the cheapest way in, but they ask real patience. The 300mm and 400mm sizes are the practical middle ground, and the 45L and 100L trees arrive with genuine height and branch structure.

Be realistic about flowering. Young firewheel trees commonly take several years in the ground before their first proper display. Packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Top bird attracting native plants for Australian gardens
• Browse the full range of Australian native trees
• Compare feature trees for a front garden
• Trees suited to driveways and avenues
• Field-grown Firewheel Tree in specimen sizes

Common questions

How big does it really get in a garden?

About 8m tall and 4m wide, reached slowly over many years. The 30m figure for this species applies to mature rainforest specimens competing for light, not a garden tree.

How long before it flowers?

Several years from a young plant, and worth knowing before you buy. Advanced stock is well down that road, so a 45L or 100L tree brings the first display much closer.

Will it grow in Melbourne or Adelaide?

Only in a frost free pocket. It tolerates light frost at best, so cold inland and southern gardens are risky. Warm temperate coastal positions are the southern limit worth attempting.