Brachychiton populneus
| Brachychiton populneus | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 10 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 59' |
| Width: | 59' |
| Blooms: | Late Spring-Mid Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Brachychiton populneus (common name: kurrajong)
Propagation: Seed - we have no details for this species but suggest sowing the seed in spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth.
Cultivation: Prefers a well-drained moderately fertile soil in a sunny position[1]. Succeeds in most soils, tolerating dry soils in Australian gardens[2][3]. Plants dislike wet soils, especially in the winter[K].
Requires a minimum temperature of 7 - 10°c[4][1]. Plants are hardy to at least -7°c in Australian gardens[2], though this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer, colder and wetter winters. This plant is very doubtfully hardy outdoors in Britain, though plants in an unheated greenhouse survived a prolonged cold period in 1996 - 97 when temperatures sometimes went down to -8°c[K].
Range: Australia - New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, Victoria
Habitat: Coastal and sub-coastal areas on a variety of soils but favouring limestone[5][3].
Edibility: Seed - raw or roasted[5][6][7]. A popular Aboriginal food, they are also acceptable to western palates, especially when roasted[8]. Very nutritious, containing about 18% protein, 25% fat plus high levels of zinc and magnesium[8].
The roasted seed is used as a coffee substitute[5][7].
Root - yam-like[5][6]. A popular food item with the Australian Aborigines[7]. The root of very young trees is used[8].
Usage: A fibre is obtained from the inner bark - it is used for making cordage, nets and dilly bags[9][3][8].
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Monoecious
Also Known As: B. diversifolium.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Wrigley, John and Murray Fagg. Australian Native Plants. Collins, 1988.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Holliday, Ivan and Ron Hill. A Field Guide to Australian Trees. Frederick Muller, 1974.
- ↑ Brickell, Christopher. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 1990.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Cribb, Alan and Joan Cribb. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana, 1976.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Ewart, Alfred. Recording Census of the Victorian Flora. 1923.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Low, Tim. Wild Food Plants of Australia. Angus and Robertson, 1989.
- ↑ Cribb, Alan. Useful Wild Plants in Australia. William Collins, 1981.