Most loved for its brilliant clusters of scarlet-red flowers on bare branches in late winter to spring, striking sculptural form, and ability to bring bold tropical colour to landscapes.
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Height guide disclaimer: Height ranges are approximate only. As living products, plant heights naturally vary between individual plants, batches, and seasons. No guarantee is given that supplied plants will fall within the stated range. If minimum heights are required, you mustconfirm current batch heights with Evergreen Trees Direct prior to purchase. Variation in height is normal and is not grounds for return, refund, replacement, or compensation.
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Erythrina indica, also listed as Erythrina variegata, is the Indian Coral Tree, a broad deciduous tree with a thick trunk and heavy spreading limbs. Bright green trifoliate leaves clothe the canopy in the warm months. Before they return, bare branches carry large clusters of scarlet pea flowers held above the crown.
Give it full sun and free draining soil. It is fast, putting on 50 to 100 centimetres a year, and copes with salt wind, poor sandy ground and dry spells once established. Frost is its limit: young trees are cut back by even light frost, so plant it in frost free coastal, tropical and subtropical districts.
It suits parks, large gardens, civic plantings and beachside reserves, set 3 to 4 metres apart as an avenue or given room to spread as a single feature. Nectar feeding birds work the flowers all winter. Keep it well clear of paths and buildings, since the wood is brittle and the branches carry short prickles.
About Indian Coral Tree
The Indian Coral Tree is Erythrina indica, also sold under the name Erythrina variegata, a deciduous tree from coastal tropical Asia and the Pacific. It grows a broad open crown on thick prickly limbs, drops its leaves in winter, then flowers heavily on the bare wood in bold scarlet before the new foliage appears.
Mature trees reach 8 to 12 metres tall with a spread of 6 to 10 metres, forming a rounded open crown that is often as wide as the tree is tall. Give it that much room from the outset. In exposed coastal positions it tends to stay lower and broader, shaped by the prevailing wind.
Fast. In warm frost free conditions expect 50 to 100 centimetres a year, with young trees making the most of it and slowing as they broaden out. The trade off is soft brittle wood, so it is worth staking and formative pruning early to build a sound branch structure rather than letting it run unchecked.
Flowering runs from late winter into spring, roughly July through October, while the tree is still bare. Large upright clusters of scarlet pea shaped flowers sit on the ends of the branches and are visible from a long way off. Lorikeets and honeyeaters feed on them constantly, which is often the first sign a tree has opened.
Not really, despite what it is sometimes sold as. It is a tropical species and young trees are damaged or killed back by frost, with even established trees marked by a hard one. Treat it as a plant for frost free coastal, subtropical and tropical gardens. Inland cold districts are not suitable positions for it.
The seeds and seed pods contain toxic alkaloids and should not be eaten, so it is worth knowing about if small children use the garden. The branches and young trunk also carry short sharp prickles. Neither rules it out as a park or street tree, but it is better placed away from play areas and narrow paths.
Prune after flowering finishes in spring, shortening long limbs to keep the crown compact and the brittle wood under control. Water through the first two summers, then it manages on rainfall in most coastal areas. It needs little feeding. Wear gloves and long sleeves when pruning, and clear fallen pods if children are about.
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Erythrina indica, also listed as Erythrina variegata, is the Indian Coral Tree, a broad deciduous tree with a thick trunk and heavy spreading limbs. Bright green trifoliate leaves clothe the canopy in the warm months. Before they return, bare branches carry large clusters of scarlet pea flowers held above the crown.
Give it full sun and free draining soil. It is fast, putting on 50 to 100 centimetres a year, and copes with salt wind, poor sandy ground and dry spells once established. Frost is its limit: young trees are cut back by even light frost, so plant it in frost free coastal, tropical and subtropical districts.
It suits parks, large gardens, civic plantings and beachside reserves, set 3 to 4 metres apart as an avenue or given room to spread as a single feature. Nectar feeding birds work the flowers all winter. Keep it well clear of paths and buildings, since the wood is brittle and the branches carry short prickles.
About Indian Coral Tree
The Indian Coral Tree is Erythrina indica, also sold under the name Erythrina variegata, a deciduous tree from coastal tropical Asia and the Pacific. It grows a broad open crown on thick prickly limbs, drops its leaves in winter, then flowers heavily on the bare wood in bold scarlet before the new foliage appears.
Mature trees reach 8 to 12 metres tall with a spread of 6 to 10 metres, forming a rounded open crown that is often as wide as the tree is tall. Give it that much room from the outset. In exposed coastal positions it tends to stay lower and broader, shaped by the prevailing wind.
Fast. In warm frost free conditions expect 50 to 100 centimetres a year, with young trees making the most of it and slowing as they broaden out. The trade off is soft brittle wood, so it is worth staking and formative pruning early to build a sound branch structure rather than letting it run unchecked.
Flowering runs from late winter into spring, roughly July through October, while the tree is still bare. Large upright clusters of scarlet pea shaped flowers sit on the ends of the branches and are visible from a long way off. Lorikeets and honeyeaters feed on them constantly, which is often the first sign a tree has opened.
Not really, despite what it is sometimes sold as. It is a tropical species and young trees are damaged or killed back by frost, with even established trees marked by a hard one. Treat it as a plant for frost free coastal, subtropical and tropical gardens. Inland cold districts are not suitable positions for it.
The seeds and seed pods contain toxic alkaloids and should not be eaten, so it is worth knowing about if small children use the garden. The branches and young trunk also carry short sharp prickles. Neither rules it out as a park or street tree, but it is better placed away from play areas and narrow paths.
Prune after flowering finishes in spring, shortening long limbs to keep the crown compact and the brittle wood under control. Water through the first two summers, then it manages on rainfall in most coastal areas. It needs little feeding. Wear gloves and long sleeves when pruning, and clear fallen pods if children are about.
Deciduous (Defoliates throughout colder months)
Erythrina indica – Indian Coral Tree is expected to grow 50cm to 100cm per year (fast).
Erythrina indica – Indian Coral Tree works in an:
Erythrina indica – Indian Coral Tree is an Deciduous (Defoliates throughout colder months) Tree
Mature Height: 8m to 12m
Mature Width: 6m to 10m
Erythrina indica – Indian Coral Tree is expected to grow 50cm to 100cm per year (fast).
Erythrina indica – Indian Coral Tree is expected to grow 50cm to 100cm per year (fast).
They are considered to have a:
Is Erythrina indica – Indian Coral Tree frost tolerant?
Erythrina indica – Indian Coral Tree is Frost Sensitive – May suffer damage from frost, best in frost-free or protected spots.
Erythrina indica produces striking clusters of long, tubular scarlet-red flowers in late winter and early spring. These dramatic blooms appear on bare branches before the foliage returns, creating a bold, high-impact display that stands out brilliantly in the seasonal landscape.
Does Erythrina indica – Indian Coral Tree flower?
Flowering Period:
Flower Type:
Flower Colour:
Red
No
Erythrina indica – Indian Coral Tree is Native to Native to India, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia, where it grows in warm tropical and subtropical regions. Cultivated widely as an ornamental and shade tree.
Its nectar-rich winter–spring flowers attract honeyeaters, parrots, native bees and butterflies, providing an important food source when few other trees are flowering. The thick, sculptural branches also offer perching sites and shelter for small birds, contributing to a biodiverse and active garden ecosystem.
Erythrina indica – Indian Coral Tree will thrive best in:
Erythrina indica performs best in well-drained sandy or loam soils and tolerates slightly acidic to slightly alkaline conditions. It can struggle in heavy clay or poorly drained soil unless improved with organic matter and coarse material to enhance aeration. Keep soil evenly moist during establishment, then move to deep, occasional watering as the tree matures to support strong flowering, structural growth and high drought resilience.
Is Erythrina indica – Indian Coral Tree Drought tolerant?
As a young tree it requires regular watering, but once established Erythrina indica develops excellent drought tolerance. It performs strongly in hot, dry and coastal environments and maintains its broad, spreading canopy with minimal supplementary watering.
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Photographs are not to scale. Heights are approximate and vary between individual trees.
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Enriched Planting Mix is a certified organic blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent, bagged in 30L. It is built to be dug through existing garden soil at planting time rather than used on its own, and the gypsum is what sets it apart from a plain compost.
Gypsum helps break up heavy clay so water and roots can move through it, while the compost and manure return organic matter and nutrient to tired ground. The coarse bark holds structure and keeps air around the root zone, and the wetting agent keeps moisture in the soil longer after rain or watering.
Use it when planting trees, shrubs, roses, fruit trees and exotic garden plants, particularly into clay. Dig a hole twice the width of the pot and 7 centimetres deeper, then mix roughly one third planting mix through the excavated soil. Spread 7 centimetres of that improved soil in the base before setting the plant in.
About Enriched Planting Mix
It is a blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent. Each part has a job. The compost and manure supply organic matter and nutrient, the gypsum works on clay structure, the bark keeps air around the roots and the wetting agent holds moisture in the soil.
It suits exotic garden plants, including roses, ornamental and deciduous trees, fruit trees, shrubs and perennials, and it earns its keep most on heavy clay sites. It is a planting mix rather than a potting mix, so its job is improving soil at planting time. Phosphorus sensitive natives are the one clear exception.
No, not for the phosphorus sensitive ones. The composted animal manure in this blend lifts phosphorus well above what Proteaceae such as Banksia, Grevillea, Hakea and Protea will tolerate, and the result can be leaf burn, dieback and plant death. Use the Native Potting Mix for those species, or plant them into unimproved local soil.
Yes. It is a certified organic product with no chemical additives, which is why the manure and compost in it are fully composted rather than raw. That makes it sound around fruit trees and vegetable beds, and it means you are adding genuine organic matter to your soil rather than a synthetic conditioner.
Work on roughly one third planting mix to two thirds of the soil you dug out of the hole. For a shrub out of a 200 millimetre pot that is only a few litres. An advanced tree going into a large hole will take considerably more. Judge the quantity by the volume of the hole rather than the size of the plant.
It is not a potting mix and should not be used on its own in a container. The blend is designed to be diluted through garden soil, and used straight in a pot it holds too much water and settles badly. For containers, reach for a premium potting mix, or the native mix if you are potting natives.
Yes. Water the plant well several hours before you plant it, then water thoroughly again once the hole is backfilled and the soil firmed down. That first deep watering settles the improved soil around the root ball and drives out air pockets. Keep the water up over the first few months while the roots establish.
Enriched Planting Mix is a certified organic blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent, bagged in 30L. It is built to be dug through existing garden soil at planting time rather than used on its own, and the gypsum is what sets it apart from a plain compost.
Gypsum helps break up heavy clay so water and roots can move through it, while the compost and manure return organic matter and nutrient to tired ground. The coarse bark holds structure and keeps air around the root zone, and the wetting agent keeps moisture in the soil longer after rain or watering.
Use it when planting trees, shrubs, roses, fruit trees and exotic garden plants, particularly into clay. Dig a hole twice the width of the pot and 7 centimetres deeper, then mix roughly one third planting mix through the excavated soil. Spread 7 centimetres of that improved soil in the base before setting the plant in.
About Enriched Planting Mix
It is a blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent. Each part has a job. The compost and manure supply organic matter and nutrient, the gypsum works on clay structure, the bark keeps air around the roots and the wetting agent holds moisture in the soil.
It suits exotic garden plants, including roses, ornamental and deciduous trees, fruit trees, shrubs and perennials, and it earns its keep most on heavy clay sites. It is a planting mix rather than a potting mix, so its job is improving soil at planting time. Phosphorus sensitive natives are the one clear exception.
No, not for the phosphorus sensitive ones. The composted animal manure in this blend lifts phosphorus well above what Proteaceae such as Banksia, Grevillea, Hakea and Protea will tolerate, and the result can be leaf burn, dieback and plant death. Use the Native Potting Mix for those species, or plant them into unimproved local soil.
Yes. It is a certified organic product with no chemical additives, which is why the manure and compost in it are fully composted rather than raw. That makes it sound around fruit trees and vegetable beds, and it means you are adding genuine organic matter to your soil rather than a synthetic conditioner.
Work on roughly one third planting mix to two thirds of the soil you dug out of the hole. For a shrub out of a 200 millimetre pot that is only a few litres. An advanced tree going into a large hole will take considerably more. Judge the quantity by the volume of the hole rather than the size of the plant.
It is not a potting mix and should not be used on its own in a container. The blend is designed to be diluted through garden soil, and used straight in a pot it holds too much water and settles badly. For containers, reach for a premium potting mix, or the native mix if you are potting natives.
Yes. Water the plant well several hours before you plant it, then water thoroughly again once the hole is backfilled and the soil firmed down. That first deep watering settles the improved soil around the root ball and drives out air pockets. Keep the water up over the first few months while the roots establish.
Acmena smithii 'Minor', also listed as Syzygium smithii 'Minor', is a compact evergreen shrub with small glossy leaves and dense branching to ground level. New growth opens bronze red and matures to deep green. Small white flowers appear sporadically through the warmer months, followed by white to pale mauve berries.
It suits full sun or part shade and accepts most soils, from sandy loam to improved clay, as long as drainage is adequate. Growth is 40 to 70 centimetres a year, moderate to fast. It handles light to moderate frost once established, becomes drought tolerant with age and resists psyllid attack.
The small leaf and modest size make it a good low hedge, at 80 centimetres apart for a clipped face or 1 to 1.5 metres for a looser screen. It works in narrow beds, along fence lines and in large pots. Councils use it where a native screen must stay under 4 metres.
About Minor Lilly Pilly
Minor is a compact form of the Australian native lilly pilly, also listed as Syzygium smithii Minor. It has small glossy leaves, dense branching to ground level and bronze red new growth that matures to deep green. Small white flowers appear sporadically in the warmer months, followed by white to pale mauve berries.
Left unclipped it reaches 3 to 4 metres in height and 2 to 2.5 metres across. Trimmed, it is easily maintained as a hedge between 1 and 2.5 metres. The small leaf size means it takes a clipped face neatly, which larger leaved lilly pillies struggle to do without looking chopped.
Plant 80 centimetres apart for a tight formal hedge, or 1 to 1.5 metres apart for a dense informal screen. In an avenue or as spaced specimens, allow 3 metres. Closer spacing closes the gaps within a season or two, but the row needs consistent watering and feeding to keep every plant even.
It handles light to moderate frost once established, which covers most temperate districts. Young plants are more vulnerable, so protect them through the first winter in frost prone areas and avoid planting into open hollows where cold air settles. Frost burnt tips can be trimmed off in spring and regrow quickly.
Yes, it is one of the more reliable native shrubs for large containers and works either as a clipped ball or as a screening plant on a balcony or terrace. Use a pot at least 500 millimetres wide with a premium potting mix, water regularly and feed each spring. Refresh the mix every few years.
Yes. The white flowers bring in native bees and other insects, and the berries that follow are taken by small birds. The dense low branching also provides shelter and nesting cover, which is why it is specified in council and rural biodiversity plantings as well as in straight screening work.
Trim lightly two or three times a year through the warmer months to keep the face dense and to encourage coloured new growth. Feed in spring with a low phosphorus native fertiliser. Water regularly through the first summer and mulch well. Avoid cutting hard into old bare wood, which is slow to reshoot.
Corymbia citriodora 'Scentuous' is a dwarf form of the iconic Lemon Scented Gum, delivering the signature citrus fragrance of the species in a compact 5-7 metre form. The aromatic pale green foliage releases a strong, clean lemon scent when crushed or brushed against, and the airy white flower clusters in late summer attract bees, butterflies, and honeyeaters.
Scentuous reaches just 5-7 metres tall and 3-4 metres wide, compared to 25-35 metres for standard Corymbia citriodora, making it the only Lemon Scented Gum suited to suburban gardens, courtyards, patios, and small streetscapes. The compact size keeps the fragrance close to where it is enjoyed, and the smooth pale trunk adds quiet structural interest year-round.
Highly drought and heat tolerant once established, Scentuous performs reliably across NSW, QLD, VIC, SA and WA in full sun with well-drained soils. It is low maintenance, tolerates light frost once established, and is widely planted as a feature tree where the standard species would simply outgrow the space.
Scentuous or standard Lemon Scented Gum? Scentuous is a compact dwarf form reaching just 5-7m, suited to suburban gardens, small landscapes, and patio planting. The standard Corymbia citriodora grows 25-35m with a tall slender trunk and is better suited to acreage, parks, and large feature plantings. Both share the famous lemon fragrance.
About Corymbia citriodora 'Scentuous' Dwarf Lemon Scented Gum
Scentuous is a dwarf cultivar reaching 5-7 metres tall and 3-4 metres wide, compared to 25-35m for the standard Corymbia citriodora.
Scentuous is fast-growing, adding 60cm to 1 metre per year once established.
The leaves release a strong, pleasant lemon citrus fragrance when crushed or brushed against, thanks to high concentrations of citronellal in the foliage.
Scentuous is a compact dwarf form reaching 5-7m, suited to suburban gardens and small landscapes. Standard Corymbia citriodora grows 25-35m and is better suited to acreage, parks, and large feature plantings.
Yes. Scentuous inherits the strong drought tolerance of Corymbia citriodora and performs well across most Australian climates once established.
Yes. The white flowers produced through summer attract native bees, butterflies, honeyeaters, and lorikeets. The aromatic foliage is also believed to deter mosquitoes.
Scentuous thrives across NSW, QLD, VIC, SA and WA. It tolerates light frost once established and prefers full sun with well-drained soils.
Tristaniopsis laurina 'Luscious' / Watergum Trees is a dependable choice for structured feature and street tree planting in urban and coastal landscapes. Its compact, upright form with dense, glossy evergreen foliage and striking copper-bronze new growth creates year-round visual interest and clean architectural lines.
Growing 7-10 metres tall with a 4-5 metre spread, it thrives in full sun to part shade and tolerates coastal exposure, urban pollution, and moderate drought. Its fragrant yellow flowers in late spring to summer add seasonal appeal.
For greater landscape impact, plant 'Luscious' with low-growing groundcovers or shade-tolerant shrubs beneath to enhance layered texture and biodiversity. Its tidy habit and pruning tolerance make it ideal for formal streetscapes, courtyards, or informal screening in medium to large gardens.
About Tristaniopsis laurina 'Luscious' Watergum
Luscious grows to 7-10 metres tall with a 4-5 metre spread, with a compact upright form.
Luscious has a moderate growth rate of 40-60cm per year once established.
Yes. Luscious is widely used by Australian councils as a street tree thanks to its tolerance of urban pollution, coastal exposure, and tight pavement conditions.
Yes. Tristaniopsis laurina is an Australian native, naturally found along watercourses on the east coast.
Fragrant yellow flowers appear in late spring to summer, typically November to January.
Plant 1.5-2 metres apart for a continuous canopy or row, or 3-4 metres for individual feature trees.
Luscious handles light to moderate frost once established, which suits most temperate and coastal gardens along the east coast. Young trees are more sensitive, so protect them through their first winter or two in areas that get regular heavy frost. In cold inland districts, plant in a sheltered position with good drainage and mulch the root zone to keep soil temperatures steadier.
Delonix regia, the Flame Tree or Poinciana, is a broad deciduous tree with a low spreading umbrella crown and fine, fern-like foliage. Through late spring and summer it carries dense heads of scarlet to orange-red flowers across the whole canopy. Long woody seed pods follow and hang on well after the leaves drop.
It wants full sun, free-draining soil and a frost-free position, which puts it in tropical, subtropical and warm coastal areas from Sydney north. Growth is fast at 50 to 100 centimetres a year. Once established it handles dry spells and salt-laden wind, and needs little beyond formative pruning for clearance.
Give it room. This is a tree for large lawns, parks, civic plantings and resort landscapes where a canopy of 10 to 15 metres across can spread without conflict. Plant 3 to 4 metres apart as a feature group, or 3 metres apart down an avenue. Few trees deliver shade and colour on this scale.
About Poinciana
Delonix regia is a deciduous flowering tree in the pea family, native to Madagascar and grown across the tropics for its flowers. It forms a short trunk and a wide, flat-topped canopy of ferny bipinnate leaves, and in summer that canopy fills with scarlet to orange-red blooms. Australians know it as the Poinciana or Flame Tree.
In the ground with room to spread it reaches 8 to 12 metres tall and 10 to 15 metres wide, and the width is the figure that matters. The canopy finishes broader than the tree is high, so allow at least 10 metres of clear space in any direction before planting near buildings or paving.
Fast. Expect 50 to 100 centimetres of height a year while the tree is young, with the spread building quickly once the leader has topped out. Growth is quickest in warm frost-free areas with summer rain, and slows noticeably in cooler or drier positions. Planting an advanced specimen shortens the wait considerably.
Flowering runs from late spring into mid summer, roughly November to January in most of eastern Australia, and can start earlier in tropical Queensland. Trees usually flower while in full leaf, so the red sits against green rather than bare wood. Young trees often take a few seasons in the ground before they bloom properly.
No. Delonix regia cannot survive frost and should not be planted in frost-prone areas. It belongs in tropical, subtropical and frost-free coastal gardens. In marginal spots a warm north-facing position with overhead protection and shelter from cold wind gives a young tree the best chance, but a hard frost will kill new growth outright.
Yes, the surface roots are vigorous and can lift paving, so keep it well clear of driveways, paths, pools and service lines. As a working guide, plant no closer than 6 to 8 metres to any hard structure. In open lawn or park ground where the roots can run freely it causes no trouble at all.
Water deeply through the first two summers, then it largely looks after itself. Mulch out to the drip line, keeping it off the trunk, and feed once in early spring with a complete fertiliser. Prune only in late winter to lift the canopy or take out crossing limbs, since the wood is brittle and heavy cuts spoil the form.
Magnolia grandiflora 'Teddy Bear' is a compact, upright evergreen tree perfect for hedging, screening, or feature planting in small or formal spaces. Growing 3-4 metres tall and 2-3 metres wide, it showcases dense dark green foliage with rich bronze undersides, adding year-round structure and colour.
From late spring through summer, it produces large, fragrant white flowers that offer seasonal interest. Its naturally symmetrical form needs minimal pruning and thrives in full sun to part shade. Once established, 'Teddy Bear' Magnolia is drought-tolerant and low maintenance, making it an excellent choice for gardens, courtyards, narrow spaces, or container planting.
Ideal for formal gardens, hedges, and statement pots, it combines elegance with practicality in residential and commercial landscapes.
Teddy Bear or Little Gem? Teddy Bear is the more compact (3-4m) and bushier of the two, with a denser rounded habit ideal for small formal features and tight courtyard spaces. Its sister cultivar Little Gem grows taller (4-6m) with a more open conical form, better suited to tall narrow hedges and formal screens. Both share the same glossy foliage with bronze undersides and fragrant white blooms.
About Magnolia grandiflora 'Teddy Bear'
Teddy Bear is a compact magnolia reaching 3-4 metres tall and 2-3 metres wide, making it one of the smallest grandiflora cultivars.
Teddy Bear is a slow to moderate grower, adding 20-40cm per year. Patience is rewarded with a dense, naturally symmetrical form.
Yes. Teddy Bear is one of the best evergreen magnolias for small gardens, courtyards, and narrow garden beds thanks to its compact upright habit.
Yes. Teddy Bear is well suited to large pots (minimum 60L) and is widely used as a formal feature in courtyard and balcony planting.
Large fragrant white flowers appear from late spring through summer, typically November to February across Australia.
Plant 1-1.5 metres apart for a dense hedge, or 2 metres for a softer screen with more individual form.
Both are compact grandiflora magnolias. Teddy Bear (3-4m) is bushier with a denser rounded habit, ideal for compact formal features. Little Gem (4-6m) grows taller with a more open conical form, suited to tall narrow hedges and screens.
Brachychiton populneus x acerifolius 'Bella Donna' crosses the Kurrajong with the Illawarra Flame Tree, producing a slender upright tree carrying dense lobed foliage. Through late spring and summer it hangs clusters of pink bell shaped flowers along the branches. Unlike its flame tree parent it holds its leaves through the flowering period in most gardens.
Full sun brings the best flowering, and the tree accepts clay, loam or sandy ground provided water moves through it. Once settled in it takes light to moderate frost and long dry spells, inheriting the toughness of the Kurrajong side of the cross. Growth runs about 50 to 80 centimetres a year with very little intervention.
The narrow habit suits nature strips, driveways, courtyards and townhouse gardens where a full sized flame tree would crowd the space. Councils plant it for streets and avenues at roughly 3 metres apart, or 3 to 4 metres for individual specimens. It gives flowering colour without the canopy width of either parent.
About Bella Donna Brachychiton
It is a named hybrid between Brachychiton populneus, the Kurrajong, and Brachychiton acerifolius, the Illawarra Flame Tree. The cross keeps the drought hardiness and neat upright form of the Kurrajong while adding the pink to red bell flowers of the flame tree. It is an Australian native selection grown for street and feature planting.
Expect 6 to 8 metres in height with a canopy 3 to 4 metres across in most Australian gardens, which is roughly a third of the size of a mature Illawarra Flame Tree. The habit stays upright and fairly narrow, so it fits verges and side boundaries where a broad crowned tree would not.
Height gain is around 50 to 80 centimetres a year once the tree is away, which is steady rather than rapid. Growth is quickest in the first few years on a well prepared site with regular water, then slows as the canopy fills out. Advanced stock shortens the wait to a useful size considerably.
Flowering runs through spring and summer, with the heaviest flush from late spring onwards, roughly November into January. The bell shaped blooms are pink through to soft red and are carried in clusters along the branches. Warm dry spring weather produces a stronger display, and trees usually flower from a young age.
Yes. The Kurrajong parentage gives it a deep root system and a genuine tolerance of dry conditions once established, which is why it is used widely in inland and western districts. It still needs regular water through the first two summers. After that, occasional deep soakings in a long dry summer are all it asks for.
For a uniform avenue or street row, plant at 3 metres apart so the canopies meet and read as a continuous line. Where each tree should stand as a separate specimen, allow 3 to 4 metres so the full form can develop. Keep trees a few metres clear of kerbs, footings and underground services.
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first two summers, then taper off. Mulch the root zone but keep mulch away from the trunk collar. Prune only for shape or to remove crossing branches, ideally in late winter before the new season starts. A slow release native fertiliser in early spring supports flowering.
Trachelospermum jasminoides 'Balls' is Star Jasmine grown and clipped into a dense evergreen sphere. The small glossy leaves sit tight on a woody framework, holding a clean rounded outline year round. White pinwheel flowers open in spring and carry a strong sweet scent right across a courtyard.
Ball specimens hold at about 1 to 1.5 metres tall and wide with light clipping. Full sun to part shade suits them, in any free draining soil. Growth is slow to moderate at 30 to 50 centimetres a year. They handle coastal exposure, light frost and dry spells once the roots are down.
Repeat them along a driveway, either side of an entry, or in pots on a terrace where a formal shape is wanted straight away. They read as structure in a planting scheme without the height of a hedge, and because the form is already trained, a new garden looks settled from the day it goes in.
About Star Jasmine Balls
They are Trachelospermum jasminoides, the common Star Jasmine, grown and clipped into a dense evergreen sphere on a woody framework. Instead of climbing, the plant is trained into a self supporting rounded shape. The foliage is small, glossy and dark green, and the plant carries scented white flowers through spring.
They hold at roughly 1 to 1.5 metres tall and 1 to 1.5 metres wide. Growth is slow to moderate at 30 to 50 centimetres a year, so a light clip once or twice a year keeps the ball tight at whatever size within that range suits the setting.
Full sun to part shade both work. Full sun gives the densest foliage and the heaviest flowering, while part shade produces slightly softer, more open growth and fewer flowers. Avoid deep shade, where the ball thins out and loses its outline. Morning sun with afternoon protection suits hot inland gardens.
Yes, and pots are one of the main uses. A container 50 to 60 centimetres wide with a quality free draining mix will hold a ball for years. Water more often than you would in the ground, especially in summer, and feed in spring and again in late summer. Refresh the mix every few years.
Yes, the foliage is held year round. The glossy dark green leaves take on a bronze tinge in cold weather and green up again in spring, but the plant never goes bare. That is what makes it useful as permanent structure in a scheme, particularly in winter once perennials have died back.
Flowering runs through spring, roughly September to November, and often carries into early summer in warmer districts. The white pinwheel flowers are small but produced in quantity, and the scent is strong on still evenings. Flowering is heaviest on plants in full sun that were not clipped hard just before bud set.
Clip lightly with hedging shears once after flowering and again in late summer if needed, taking only the new growth to keep the outline crisp. Water deeply in dry weather, mulch the base, and feed in early spring. The sap is milky and can irritate skin, so wear gloves when trimming.
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Erythrina indica, also listed as Erythrina variegata, is the Indian Coral Tree, a broad deciduous tree with a thick trunk and heavy spreading limbs. Bright green trifoliate leaves clothe the canopy in the warm months. Before they return, bare branches carry large clusters of scarlet pea flowers held above the crown.
Give it full sun and free draining soil. It is fast, putting on 50 to 100 centimetres a year, and copes with salt wind, poor sandy ground and dry spells once established. Frost is its limit: young trees are cut back by even light frost, so plant it in frost free coastal, tropical and subtropical districts.
It suits parks, large gardens, civic plantings and beachside reserves, set 3 to 4 metres apart as an avenue or given room to spread as a single feature. Nectar feeding birds work the flowers all winter. Keep it well clear of paths and buildings, since the wood is brittle and the branches carry short prickles.
About Indian Coral Tree
The Indian Coral Tree is Erythrina indica, also sold under the name Erythrina variegata, a deciduous tree from coastal tropical Asia and the Pacific. It grows a broad open crown on thick prickly limbs, drops its leaves in winter, then flowers heavily on the bare wood in bold scarlet before the new foliage appears.
Mature trees reach 8 to 12 metres tall with a spread of 6 to 10 metres, forming a rounded open crown that is often as wide as the tree is tall. Give it that much room from the outset. In exposed coastal positions it tends to stay lower and broader, shaped by the prevailing wind.
Fast. In warm frost free conditions expect 50 to 100 centimetres a year, with young trees making the most of it and slowing as they broaden out. The trade off is soft brittle wood, so it is worth staking and formative pruning early to build a sound branch structure rather than letting it run unchecked.
Flowering runs from late winter into spring, roughly July through October, while the tree is still bare. Large upright clusters of scarlet pea shaped flowers sit on the ends of the branches and are visible from a long way off. Lorikeets and honeyeaters feed on them constantly, which is often the first sign a tree has opened.
Not really, despite what it is sometimes sold as. It is a tropical species and young trees are damaged or killed back by frost, with even established trees marked by a hard one. Treat it as a plant for frost free coastal, subtropical and tropical gardens. Inland cold districts are not suitable positions for it.
The seeds and seed pods contain toxic alkaloids and should not be eaten, so it is worth knowing about if small children use the garden. The branches and young trunk also carry short sharp prickles. Neither rules it out as a park or street tree, but it is better placed away from play areas and narrow paths.
Prune after flowering finishes in spring, shortening long limbs to keep the crown compact and the brittle wood under control. Water through the first two summers, then it manages on rainfall in most coastal areas. It needs little feeding. Wear gloves and long sleeves when pruning, and clear fallen pods if children are about.
