Summer 2010

Growing from Seed. In early summer, I planted a range of seed from Nindethana, a Western Australian company that specialises in Aussie plants. I had ordered seed earlier in the year, and waited until it was warm enough before planting. Growing from seed is a way of getting uncommon plants cheaply, and of trying things that 'stretch the climate boundaries'. This season, I have planted a range of herbaceous plants, as well as shrubs and trees, and so far only a few have emerged - Abutilon geranoides, Alyogyne hueglii, Brachychiton gregorii (The Desert Kurrajong), Bracychiton megaphylla (Big Leaved Kurrajong), Eryngium pinnatifidum, Erythrina vespertilo (Bat's Wing Coral Tree) have emerged. I have not had success yet with two other species of Brachychiton (diversifolius and discolor), a Baobab, and the native crepe mytrle (Lagerstroemia archeriana var. divaricatiflora) as well as other plants.

Batswing Coral Tree. The batswing coral tree seedlings (right) shot out of the ground and are already about 20 cm high. It occurs naturally in Northern Australia and is probably frost tender. There were some planted at the Australia National Botanic Gardens (ANBG) during summer 2008, and they seem to have survived and thrived when I saw them this week. In Europe they grow the Erythrina crista-galli  (pictured above) in the perennial garden bed (It's considered a noxious weed in Northern NSW), cutting it back to ground level over winter. This may be a way of growing E. vespertilo here in Canberra.

Brachychitons. The kurrajong (Brachychiton populneus) grows well in Canberra. it seems to take the cold weather OK.

I have grown Bottle trees (B. rupestre) in pots over two seasons - I keep them in a frost free spot over the winter, with part shade during the day in summer. (The picture (left) shows a Bottle tree in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney) .

So far my pot-grown specimens are doing fine - one is about 2 m high. I plan to transplant them into the garden. As the Bottle tree grows naturally in western Queensland in areas that get frosts and it drought tolerent, it may be OK here in more sheltered spots.

I am also trying two hybrids - obtained as grafted plants from Yamina Rare Plants in Victoria - Brachychiton ' Clarabelle', a cross between B. discolor and and B. populneus, and B. X 'Bella Donna' a cross between B.acerifolius and B. populneus. The former may be the more cold tolerant as it has Kurrajong parentage.

The Illawarra Flame Tree (B. acerifolius) is growing in the rainforest area of the National Botanic Garden, and there is also one in a home garden in Aranda, under the protection of a big gum. The Flame tree is native to the coastal areas of NSW and Queensland in rainforest - It flowers in Spring after dropping its leaves - I have not seen the trees in the ANBG in flower.