Kurrajong Tree

The Little Kurrajong (Brachychiton bidwillii) is the kurrajong that fits a suburban block. Most of the family grow into paddock shade trees, but this one settles at around 4m tall and 3m wide, small enough for a front garden, a courtyard or a large pot. Each spring it drops its leaves and covers the bare branches in clusters of deep red and pink bells, and the roots are well behaved too.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers on bare wood. The spring leaf drop is the point: red and pink bells sit directly on the branches and the tree reads as pure colour for weeks.
• Small enough to actually use. About 4m by 3m, so it suits a garden where a fig or a flame tree would be a long term mistake.
• Non-invasive roots. It can go near paving, paths and a driveway edge without lifting them a decade later.
• Genuinely tough. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant and content in poor soil once established.

Where it works best

Feature planting. One plant in a lawn or front bed carries the whole spring display, and honeyeaters and lorikeets work the nectar while it lasts. Allow 3m of clear width and site it where you see it from inside, because the flowering is short.

Small gardens and courtyards. At 4m it stays below most rooflines and will not shade out a backyard, so it works on a narrow block.

Pots and containers. A pot of 60cm or wider with a free draining mix will hold it for years, and container grown plants stay smaller again.

Growing the Little Kurrajong in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering. It suits tropical, subtropical, warm temperate and arid or semi-arid gardens. Light frost only, so in the tablelands, cold inland districts and hard frosting southern gardens give it a warm north facing wall, or keep it potted to move under cover for winter.

Soil. Drainage matters far more than fertility. It tolerates poor and rocky ground but will sulk where soil stays wet. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound with compost and coarse grit worked through the bed.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers, then water only in long dry spells. A low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring is all the feeding it needs.

Pruning. Very little is needed. To lift the canopy or tidy the shape, do it once flowering has finished. Pruning over winter removes the buds you have been waiting on.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in 25L, 45L and 100L, all advanced sizes with a formed trunk and branch structure. The 25L is the practical choice for most home gardens and establishes fastest; the 45L and 100L arrive with real height for a spot where the tree has to work immediately.

Because it is deciduous, stock may arrive bare or thinly leafed depending on the season. That is normal. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect several quiet weeks while it settles, then a strong flush the following warm season. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full range of Australian native trees
• Native plants with red flowers
• Unusual trees worth a spot in the garden
• Preparing a new garden bed before planting

Common questions

Is it deciduous?

Yes, and deliberately so. It sheds its leaves ahead of flowering in spring, blooms on the bare branches, then leafs up for summer. In warm frost free gardens the leaf drop can be brief or partial.

Will the roots lift paving or find pipes?

This species carries a non-invasive root rating, which is why it is one of the safer flowering trees beside a path, a courtyard or a driveway edge. Normal clearance from services still applies.

Can I keep it in a pot long term?

Yes. Use a pot of at least 60cm with free draining mix, water deeply rather than often, and repot or root prune every few years.