BRACHYCHITON RUPESTRIS

This member of the Sterculiaceae* family was given this name by Karl Moritz Schumann in 1893. It's found on the dry plains of Queensland, Australia. In the wet season, it will get plenty of water, and it always gets lots of sun. The soil is generally grit. The trunk can get up to 3,5 meters in diameter, and it stands up to 10-25 meters. Great variations in trunk-form. The fast-growing won't get the "wide shoulders". It has white to cream coloured flowers with pink stripes and brown nuts with 10-30 seeds in, wrapped in small needles! I have seen a lot in Australia. Brought some seeds back, and Copenhagen Botanical Garden made them grow. Just loved them!

The genera name from Greek, brachys, short and chiton, a tunic, a reference to the coating on the seed.The species name rupes means 'growing among rocks'. It can stand down to -7C, and thrives in acidic soil.