Practical
Plants

Brachychiton populneus

Kurrajong

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Brachychiton genus in the family Sterculiaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Height
18 m
Spread
18 m
Flower type
monoecious

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - raw or roasted[1][2][6]. 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[1][6]. Root - yam-like[1][2]. A popular food item with the Australian Aborigines[6]. The root of very young trees is used[8].

Product or use
Coffee
Plant part
Root
Plant part
Seed

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A fibre is obtained from the inner bark - it is used for making cordage, nets and dilly bags[3][5][8].

Product or use
Fibre

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Secondary canopy

Environment

Range
Australia - New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, Victoria
Habitat
Coastal and sub-coastal areas on a variety of soils but favouring limestone[1][5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 10+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

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

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a well-drained moderately fertile soil in a sunny position[9]. Succeeds in most soils, tolerating dry soils in Australian gardens[4][5]. Plants dislike wet soils, especially in the winter[K]. Requires a minimum temperature of 7 - 10°c[7][9]. Plants are hardy to at least -7°c in Australian gardens[4], 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].

References

  1. Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana 1976-00-00 ISBN 0-00-634436-4

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  2. Ewart. A. J. Flora of Victoria.

    ↩1↩2

  3. Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Useful Wild Plants in Australia. William Collins Pty Ltd. Sidney 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-00-216441-8

    ↩

  4. Wrigley. J. W. and Fagg. M. Australian Native Plants. Collins. (Australia) 1988-00-00 ISBN 0-7322-0021-0

    ↩1↩2

  5. Holliday. I. and Hill. R. A Field Guide to Australian Trees. Frederick Muller Ltd. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-85179-627-3

    ↩1↩2↩3

  6. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  7. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

    ↩

  8. Low. T. Wild Food Plants of Australia. Angus and Robertson. 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-207-14383-8

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  9. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2

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