Newleaf Garden Center

Interesting Facts About Bottle Trees 
 

• Shape and form varies from short -squat, thick-thin, bent-straight, and twin trunks - A Supreme Feature Tree.

• Reflects individual character  and suited for any landscape design.

• Grows to only 4-7 metres in urban areas, so ideal for the suburban front or rear yard.

• Grows quickly to 3-5 metres tall and stays at that height for many years and spends the early years forming its bottle shape.

• Fast Growth of trunk when planted in full sun with proper care. Suits most soil types. Contact us for advice on how to maximise growth.

• Frost tolerant when established down to minus -8ºC.

• Irregular deciduous - leaves may not fall every year and then only some branches.  Leaves develop in 5 different stages.

• Flowers are cream - may not flower every year.

• Bottle begins to form under ground when 10cm high.

• The trunk may excrete sap during wet weather.

• They put down single or multiple tap roots, that look like a carrot with some surface feeder roots.

• Good for growing in lawns and garden beds - they won't rob moisture.

• Canopy can be heavily pruned to form compact, smaller shape.

• Smaller Bottle Trees generally produce a squat bottle shape.

• Taller Bottle Trees produce slender longer bottle shapes.

• Tap roots can be heavily pruned and used as a pot plant or bonsai.

• They make special Pot Plants and Bonsai with dense canopies and interesting trunks and root structures.

• Can be transplanted at any age and when mature for landscape designs.

• The Bottle Tree is NOT related to The Boab Tree of Western Australia and South Africa.

•  Bottle Trees are increasing in popularity, people just marvel at their sheer beauty and uniqueness.

• People love the photo opportunities and shade Bottle Trees provide.

• No two Bottle Trees are alike – check the many photos on our website to see just some of the difference shapes and sizes.

• Bottle Trees are extremely hardy and cope well with transplanting at any age.

• Bottle Trees tolerate heavy canopy and root pruning.

• Highly environmentally friendly.

• Bottle Trees are a true Australian Native Tree that will grow virtually anywhere.

• From the end of December 2005 the Environmental Protection Authority, Qld stopped all harvesting of Bottle Trees from the bush and farms for transplanting and only propagated stock allowed to be sold. 

• Bottle Trees are a protected tree

 Bottle Trees Description

All shapes and sizes: Bottle trees are not uniform in either the trunk dimensions and shape or heights and we encourage natural growth and do not attempt to artificially make them uniform in any way.

Size: The size varies from 4-7 metres in height when grown in urban areas.  In natural bush where they compete for light in denser surroundings they do grow taller.

Trunks: Bottle shaped in varying heights, widths and shapes.  Generally the smaller in height the large the bottle and more well rounded.  Above 6 metres the bottle shape will tend to be more slender with a longer neck.

Bark: Smooth and green on juvenile trees; rough, grey and furrowed on adult trees.

Canopy: On 4-5 metre high trees the canopy spread can range from 3-4 metres.  In most instances the foliage is dense so provides good shade and safe haven for birds.

Leaves: These develop through five distinctive stages:-

1. Two seed leaves

2. Alternating single "finger" leaves up to 20cm long.

3. "Hand" leaves which are divided into 2,3,4,7, or 9 segments.

4. Groups of "finger" leaves.

5. Adult Leaves

 

The Bulb (Roots): This begins to form underground when seedlings are as small as 10cm high and slowly elongate, protruding above ground level as the tree increases in age and height.  Young trees growing a tap root to about 1 metre then grow finer surface roots from the base of the bulb (bottle).  Because the surface roots are sparse, the bottle tree is suitable for growing in lawns and in garden beds, as they don't compete for nourishment and moisture.

Wood: It is a softly, pithy, fibrous substance of no commercial value.

How Much Area Do They Nee To Grow In?
Generally a 3 square metre site, this will allow for a fine canopy to develop.  A smaller area is okay, but the canopy will need to be pruned, which promotes thick growth for excellent shade cover.