Bottle tree, Narrow-leaved bottle tree, Queensland Bottle Tree, Barrel tree
Brachychiton rupestris

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

A medium sized tree. It can be 8-10 m tall. It develops a large bottle-shaped trunk. This can be 2 m across. The plant can spread 5-6 m wide. It loses many leaves during the year. Young leaves have deep lobes but adult leaves are undivided. They are 5-10 cm long by 7-8 mm wide, and bright green. Flowers are bell-shaped. They are 1.2 cm across. They occur in small clusters near the ends of branches. The fruit are boat-shaped follicles. They are dark brown and leathery. They are 2-3 cm long.

There are about 38 Brachychiton species. Most are in Australia. Also put in the family Sterculiaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in drier regions. It cannot tolerate heavy frosts. It is very drought tolerant. It needs an acid pH. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall between 460-890 mm. It can grow in arid places. Melbourne Botanical gardens. National Arboretum Canberra. It suits hardiness zones 9-11.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia (country/location of origin), Indonesia, SE Asia, Sudan

How it is used for food

The young leaves are used as a salad vegetable. The gum is edible. The young roots of seedling trees are boiled and eaten.

Edible parts

Gum, leaves, roots, seeds, sap

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed. Young plants transplant easily.

It is very slow growing.

Its other names

Local names

Binkey, Pohon botol australia, Pohon kepel australia

Synonyms

Brachychiton delabechei F. Muell. [Illegitimate]; Clompanus rupestris (T. Mitch. ex Lindl.) Kuntze; Delabechia rupertris T. Mitch ex Lindl.; Oleobachia macrophylla auct.; Oleobachia palustrie Mast.; Sterculia rupestris (T. Mitch. ex Lindl.) Benth.;