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Ivory Curl Tree

Buckinghamia celsissima
$239.95 $352.95

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Potted plants

Typically 20cm to 1.2m tall on arrival.

Advanced plants

Typically 1.2 to 2.5m tall on arrival.

Specimen and mature stock

Typically 2.5m plus. Freight confirmed before dispatch.

Other sizes (available to order)

This size is on backorder. Want it the moment it lands back from the farms?

Good to know: pot sizes, availability and delivery
  • Sizes are pot sizes, not plant heights. A 200mm pot is the width of the container. Typical plant heights per size are in the size guide.
  • Every order is availability checked. If anything cannot be supplied as listed, we contact you within 2 business days with the closest equivalent, the option to wait, or a refund. You choose.
  • Delivered Australia wide. Live plants packed for transit, no minimum order. Details on the delivery page.
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Email only, no phone calls. Your question and the plant you are looking at go to our plant team at sales@nurserynearme.com.au.

Delivery
  • Fast, reliable delivery Australia-wide
  • Orders are prepared at the nearest distribution centre to you
  • Flat-rate delivery from $29.95 for standard items
  • Larger plants and trees are delivered via nursery truck from $149.95

FAQs

Can I pick up my order?

No. We operate as an online-only nursery and do not offer customer pickups.

Can I delay delivery?

Yes. Add your preferred delivery timing in the order notes at checkout.

What if I’m not home for delivery?

Your order will be left in a safe location at the delivery address.

What if my plants don’t arrive healthy?

Every order is covered by our 30-Day Satisfaction Guarantee.

The ivory curl tree (Buckinghamia celsissima) is the flowering native to plant when the block is too small for a poinciana but you still want a tree people stop and look at. In cultivation it settles at about 6m to 8m tall and 4m wide, evergreen and densely leafed, and from late summer into autumn it hangs long creamy white flower spikes through the canopy. The roots are well behaved, which is why landscapers keep specifying it near driveways.

Why you'll love it

  • A serious flowering display on a small tree. Curling ivory spikes up to 200mm long, carried in quantity and lightly perfumed.
  • Non-invasive roots. It does not lift paving or chase pipes the way figs do, so it can go close to a house or a driveway.
  • Evergreen shade and screening. The canopy is dense enough to shade a courtyard and block a first floor window, all year.
  • Tough, and good for wildlife. Honeyeaters and pollinators work the flowers in late summer, and the tree is drought and heat tolerant enough for a hot exposed street.

Where it works best

Feature tree in a small garden. At 4m wide it fits a suburban backyard without taking the whole lawn. Put it where you will see the flowers from a window or a seat.

Driveways, avenues and screening. Plant 3m apart. The upright habit and tidy roots make it a better neighbour to concrete than most trees this size, and a row of three or four blocks an overlooking window at first floor level, which a hedge cannot do.

Growing the ivory curl tree in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the heaviest flowering; it tolerates part shade but flowers less. This is a tree for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It takes light frost once established, so the tablelands and hard frosting southern gardens should choose something hardier.

Soil, water and feed. Any reasonably drained soil, including poorer sandy ground. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound with compost worked through, and mulch 75mm deep clear of the trunk. Deep soak twice a week through the first two summers, after which it only needs help in long dry spells. Feed with a low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring, because this proteaceae relative dislikes heavy general purpose fertiliser.

Pruning and mature size. Very little pruning is needed. Shape it or lift the lower branches straight after flowering, and avoid pruning in late spring or you will remove the flower wood. You may read that the species reaches 25m; that comes from wild rainforest trees, not open gardens.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in tube, 200mm multipacks, 300mm and 400mm, and in 25L, 45L, 100L and 200L. Tube and 200mm plants are young, single stemmed and the sensible buy for an avenue. The 300mm and 400mm sizes suit one feature tree, and the 25L and larger stock arrives with a formed trunk and real height.

Plants are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect a quiet first month while the roots move out, then strong growth through the warm season. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

Common questions

Is it safe to plant near a driveway or pipes?

Yes, and it is one of the few flowering trees we would say that about. The roots are non-invasive, so it does not lift concrete or force its way into drains. Still allow 2m of clearance for the canopy.

When does it flower?

Late summer into autumn, heaviest on trees in full sun. A young tree may take two to four years to flower well, and larger planted stock flowers sooner.

How far apart for a screen or an avenue?

Three metres apart. The canopies meet at that spacing to give a continuous line without crowding the trunks or forcing the trees to lean away.

Plant details

Mature height8m
Mature width4m
PositionFull Sun, Partial Shade
Water needsModerate
Growth rateModerate
FoliageEvergreen
FlowersCream, White
Native toNorthern Australia
ClimateTropical, Subtropical, Warm Temperate
ToleratesLight Frost Only, Humidity Tolerant, Heat Tolerant, Drought Tolerant
SpacingPlant 3m apart for an avenue planting

Great for

Feature PlantingDriveways & AvenuesScreening & PrivacyShade TreeSmall GardensAustralian NativeBird AttractingBee & Butterfly FriendlyFragrantNon-Invasive Roots

Compare similar plants

Ivory Curl Tree against the rest of the australian native trees range

Mature sizes are typical in Australian gardens; growth rate and position are from the plant details on each page.

PlantRatingMature heightMature widthGrowth ratePositionFrom
Ivory Curl Tree
Ivory Curl TreeThis plantBuckinghamia celsissima
 ★★★★★(18) 8m 4m Moderate Full Sun, Partial Shade $16.95
Weeping Lilly Pilly Tree
Weeping Lilly Pilly TreeWaterhousea floribunda
 ★★★★★(18) 10m 5m Fast Partial Shade, Full Sun $185.95
Lemon Scented Myrtle
Lemon Scented MyrtleBackhousia citriodora
 ★★★★★(16) 6m 4m Moderate, Fast Partial Shade, Full Sun $45.95
Grass Tree
Grass TreeXanthorrhoea glauca
 ★★★★★(11) 2m 2m Slow Full Sun, Partial Shade $19.95
Tuckeroo Tree
Tuckeroo TreeCupaniopsis anacardioides
 ★★★★★(9) 8m 5m Moderate Full Sun, Partial Shade $10.95
Coast Banksia
Coast BanksiaBanksia integrifolia
 ★★★★★(11) 8m 5m Moderate, Fast Full Sun $10.95

See the whole australian native trees range

Common questions about Ivory Curl Tree

  • How tall does Ivory Curl Tree grow?

    Ivory Curl Tree reaches about 8m tall at maturity and about 4m wide.

  • Does Ivory Curl Tree need full sun or shade?

    it grows best in full sun, partial shade.

  • How much water does Ivory Curl Tree need?

    water needs are moderate.

  • How fast does Ivory Curl Tree grow?

    it has a moderate growth rate.

  • Which Australian climates suit Ivory Curl Tree?

    it suits tropical, subtropical, warm temperate climates and tolerates light frost only, humidity tolerant, heat tolerant, drought tolerant. Check the planting calendar for the best month in your region. Planting calendar

  • How far apart should I plant Ivory Curl Tree?

    Plant Plant 3m apart for an avenue planting. The hedge calculator works out the number of plants for your length. Hedge calculator

  • Is Ivory Curl Tree safe around pets?

    Yes, Ivory Curl Tree is listed as pet friendly.

  • What size will my Ivory Curl Tree arrive at?

    Typically 20cm to 2.5m or more tall on arrival, depending on the size you choose. The size picker on this page shows the typical height under each size group. Heights vary with the season and the batch. Size guide

  • How is Ivory Curl Tree delivered?

    Packed upright and delivered Australia wide. Freight is quoted at checkout with multiple freight companies and passed on at cost, and the grower confirms your plants before anything is booked. Most plant orders arrive within 3 to 7 business days of dispatch.

  • Is Ivory Curl Tree covered by a guarantee?

    Yes. Every plant is covered by the 30 day healthy plant guarantee: if it arrives in poor shape, send a photo within 30 days and we sort it out with a replacement or a refund. Read the guarantee

Loved by Australian Gardeners

★★★★★ Rated by verified customers across Australia

Customer Reviews

Overall rating: 4.9 / 5 from 18 reviews.

Happy to recommend this. Came exactly as pictured and it was well cushioned, and has settled in quickly. Would definitely recommend.

Michael E. 5/5

Ivory Curl Tree - Buckinghamia celsissima

So pleased with the purchase. Came healthy and hydrated and was packed carefully, and has been low fuss. Happy to purchase again.

Robert O. 5/5

Ivory Curl Tree - Buckinghamia celsissima

Way too easy of a process!

Thomas H. 5/5 Verified

Ivory Curl Tree - Buckinghamia celsissima

Store owner replied: Love to hear it was that easy, Thomas. Ivory curl puts on a beautiful show of creamy flower spikes from late summer, and a tree that size makes a real feature.

Thank you for such lovely trees, Can't wait til they get growing BIG. My experience overall was very good. Had a hiccup that was addressed swiftly. Staff is very helpful, clear and concise.

Thomas C. 5/5

Ivory Curl Tree - Buckinghamia celsissima

After you order

What happens next

  1. 1Order confirmedYour confirmation email arrives straight away.
  2. 2Grower confirms stockWe check your plants are ready at the nursery before anything is booked.
  3. 3Freight bookedYou get the carrier and the delivery window by email.
  4. 4Delivered to your doorPacked upright and delivered Australia wide.

30 day healthy plant guarantee on every plant, every size.

BeforeThe same garden at two to three years, designed from the customer photo
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BeforeAt 2 to 3 years

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Sunlit green shrubs with clusters of small, white, spiky flowers bloom in a lush garden, highlighting the beauty of the Ivory Curl Tree - Buckinghamia celsissima, an elegant evergreen Australian native.

Ivory Curl Tree - Buckinghamia celsissima

From $198.95 $388.95

Mature height

4m to 8m

Mature width

2m to 4m

Position

Full Sun, Partial Shade

Water needs

Moderate

Growth rate

Moderate

Foliage

Evergreen

Flower colour

Cream, White

Climate

Tropical, Subtropical, Warm Temperate

Tolerates

Light Frost Only, Humidity Tolerant, Heat Tolerant, Drought Tolerant

Great for

Feature Planting, Driveways & Avenues, Screening & Privacy, Shade Tree, Small Gardens

Spacing

Plant 3m apart for an avenue planting

Pet friendly

Yes
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