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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 can 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, gray and furrowed on adult trees.
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A short squat trunk |
A slender trunk |
A large well-formed trunk after 50+ years |
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 |
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New copper-tone leaf growth |
Frost on young 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.
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The roots of young Bottle Trees |
¨Index
¨Growth
Characteristics
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¨Export
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