''Brachychiton populneus'', commonly known as the kurrajong, is a small to medium-sized

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

found naturally in Australia in a diversity of habitats from wetter coastal districts to

semi-arid A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi- ...

interiors of

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

and

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

. ''Carrejun'' and ''carrejan'' were the indigenous names of trees in the foothills of the Blue Mountains near Sydney, and the bark was used for twine and fishing lines. The extended trunk is a water storage device for survival in a warm dry climate. The bell-shaped flowers are variable in colour (pale to pink) while the leaves vary considerably in shape. The leaves are either simple and pointed, or may be 3–9 lobed. Saplings grow from a drought and fire resistant tap-rooted

tuber Tubers are a type of enlarged structure used as storage organs for nutrients in some plants. They are used for the plant's perennation (survival of the winter or dry months), to provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growin ...

. The kurrajong has multiple uses and was used by many Australian Aboriginal clans and tribes around Australia. The seeds located in a seed pod were often removed, cleaned of the fine hairs within the seed pod, and roasted. Water could be obtained from the tree roots by boring a hole in the trunk and squeezing the wood. There are also records of the seed pods being turned into a children's rattle or toy. The soft spongy wood was used for making shields, and the bark as a fibre. The leaves are also used as emergency fodder for drought-affected animal stock. There are also records of European settlers using the seeds as a coffee supplement by roasting and crushing the seeds. It has been introduced as an ornamental tree to south-western Australia,

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

and

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa ...

countries. In

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

it was observed to be an invasive in disturbed areas. Horticulturists have hybridised the kurrajong with related '' Brachychiton'' species, including the Queensland bottle tree ('' B. rupestris'') and Illawarra flame tree ('' B. acerifolius'') to produce new garden

ornamentals Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that i ...

. The specific name ''Brachychiton populneus'' pertains to a perceived similarity to the '' Populus'' genus, i.e. the poplars. Sometimes ''B. populneus'' is also known by the names "lacebark kurrajong" and "bottle tree" (USA). However, '' B. discolor'' is also referred to as the lacebark kurrajong, and Bottle Tree is a term commonly applied not only to other species of '' Brachychiton'' but to members of other genera around the world. The kurrajong has been recorded as a host plant for the mistletoe species ''

Dendrophthoe glabrescens ''Dendrophthoe glabrescens'', commonly known as orange mistletoe, is a hemiparasitic plant of the mistletoe family Loranthaceae, found in eastern and northern Australia. It flowers from October to January. The flowers are tubular, with a gree ...

''.

Gallery

File:Brachychiton populnea flowers.jpg, ''B. populneus'' flowers and leaves File:Currajong bark detail.jpg, Bark detail on trunk File:Brachychiton populneus, details.jpg, ''B. populneus'' flowers and leaves File:Opened seed pod of Brachychiton populneus.jpg, Opened seed pod of Brachychiton populneus in Agadir, Morocco File:Large example of Brachychiton populneus in Melbourne, VIC.jpg, Planted in 1902

References

* Macoboy, S. (1991) What tree is that?,

External links

*
Austral Ecology, Invasion of urban bushland

Note on economic value

{{Taxonbar, from=Q947016 populneus Bushfood Flora of New South Wales Flora of Victoria (Australia) Flora of Queensland Edible nuts and seeds Ornamental trees Drought-tolerant trees Malvales of Australia Trees of Australia