Pink Brachiquito (Brachychiton discolor)

Trees of the genus Brachychiton are wonderful plants: they grow fast, provide shade, some resist drought well ... And there are others, such as pink brachique, which produces small but spectacular flowers that almost completely hide its foliage.

If you want to have a species as interesting as that of our protagonist, here you will find all the information you need to be able to enjoy it to the fullest.

Origin and characteristics

The pink brachiquito, whose scientific name is Brachychiton discolor, is an evergreen tree native to eastern Australia, specifically from the town of Paterson (New South Wales, at 32ºS) to Mackay (Queensland, at 21ºS). Also some on the Cape York Peninsula. It is popularly known as ribbon bark tree, bottle tree, white kurrajong, sycamore, sombrero tree or ribbon kurrajong.

Reaches a height of up to 30 meters, with a straight, gray and cylindrical trunk that reaches 75 centimeters in diameter. The leaves are made up of three lobes, whitish on the underside, and dark green on the upper side. These measure 10 to 20cm in diameter.

Blooms in spring. The flowers are pink, measuring 3 to 4cm in diameter. There are female and male, separate. The fruit is shaped like a boat that matures 2 or 3 months after flowering, and is 7-20cm long. The seeds are about 9mm long and, if roasted, can be consumed.

What are their cares?

If you want to have a copy, we recommend that you provide it with the following care:

• Location: outside, in full sun. Place at a distance of at least 5m from pipes, paved floors and others.
• Earth: it is indifferent as long as it has good drainage and is fertile (or, at least, that the soil is not eroded).
  It is not a suitable plant to have in a pot.
• Irrigation: 2 or 3 times a week in summer, every 5-6 days the rest of the year.
• Subscriber: from spring to late summer / early fall with Organic fertilizers.
• Multiplication: by seeds in spring.
• Rusticity: withstands cold and frosts down to -7ºC.

What did you think of the pink brachiquito? Have you ever seen him?