Scientific Name: Brachychiton acerifolius
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Pronunciation:brack-ee-KY-ton ay-sir-ah-FOAL-ee-us
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Common Name:Flame Tree
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Derivation:Brachychiton: Gr. brachys - short, Gr. chiton - coat of mail or tunic (refers to coating of short massed hairs over seeds)||acerifolius: acer (Maple)-like leaves.
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Type:
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Family:STERCULIACEAE
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Flowers:Red, October-January
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Fruit:Follicle 10-18 cm
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Vegetation Type:Rainforest
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Species List:Leslie Drive Roundabout, Bush food, Craft, Sunshine Beach Primary, Upper Yandina Creek, Kin Kin Arboretum, Heritage Park,
Cultural Notes
TAKE CARE! Some information about bush foods and medicines may be anecdotal. Correct identification and preparation is essential:
Bush food: seeds edible (once hairs are removed) after roasting and pounding. Coffee substitute
Fibre from inner bark used to make rope and twine.
Identification Notes
Deciduous.||Leaf: simple, entire or lobed, smooth with 5-7 lobes, 4-25 cm long.||Flowers: sessile in clusters.||
Associated Fauna
Butterfly larval food plant: White-banded Plane, (Common Aeroplane), Common Pencil-blue, and Tailed Emperor, pictured. Butterflies: Common Grass Yellow, Shining Pencilled Blue.
Landscaping Notes
Successfully propagated by Noosa & District Landcare. ||Moist well drained soils. ||Often deciduous when flowering. Spent flowers carpet the ground. ||Indoor pot plant potential.||Popular as an ornamental due to spectacular flowering. Some years entire foliage is dropped, others only part of the tree produces flowers.||Propagation easy from seed removed from large boat-shaped leathery pods. Can be grafted or grown from cuttings.||Prefers well-drained sunny position.||Successfully propagated by Coolum Community Native Nursery|Successfully propagated by Mooloolah Native Nursery|Successfully propagated by Florabunda Bushcare nursery, Woombye||Successfully propagated by Barung Landcare||