39 Bottle Tree Facts: How Did It Get That Name? Find Out

Either from the hibiscus or mallow family, genus Brachychiton of any variety is categorized under the name bottle tree.

Bottle trees got their name due to their unique features of a swollen trunk and an enlarged base of the trunk, almost resembling a bottle. They are mostly found in Australia and different parts of Africa.

Surveyor and Explorer Sir Thomas Livingstone Mitchell was the first to discover this plant in his expedition to Queensland. He published it in the 'Journal Of An Expedition Into The Interior Of Tropical Australia' in 1848. Botanist and orchidologist John Lindley provided its first formal description in the same publication.

Facts About Bottle Trees

Bottle trees are some of the most beloved bell-shaped Australian plants that can be found around the world. This tree's seeds are some of the most widely sought-after seeds across collectors and casual landscape developers alike.

• A notable amount of water is reserved between the inner bark and the trunk, which has a diameter of almost 78.8 in (2 m).
• It takes almost five to eight years to form this unique bulging shape of the trunk.
• It is believed that indigenous people used to make holes in the bark and use this water.
• In the wild, the Queensland bottle tree can grow up to 33-66 ft (10-20 m) in height and 1-3.5 in (2.54-8.89 cm) diameter with dark gray bark, whereas in cultivation, they are usually shorter with light gray or light green branches.
• With its contradictory glossy upper surface and pale lower surface, the leaves range from narrow to elliptical.
• These trees are mostly deciduous in nature and shed their leaves between September and December.
• The bell-shaped flowers blossom in the late spring with their iconic creamy-white color and a stain of purple.
• Bottle tree prefers full sunshine with a slightly acidic kind of well-drained soil but can be grown in a variety of soils and climates.
• While collecting the seeds for propagation, gloves must be worn as their seedpods have hair that may cause allergic reactions.
• An interesting fact is that some bottle trees can take 20 years to blossom when grown from seeds. They can also be propagated from stem cuttings.
• The hardiness of the plant is quite high, as vigorous transplantation from one place to another in any kind of unprepared soil does not hinder its growth.
• Mature trees can even withstand up to three months of intervals between digging up and relocation of the plant.
• This is the reason it can be found in different parts of the world and is even grown in garden pots and sometimes carved into bonsai.
• Bottle trees can easily be found planted along the roadways or in farms, parking lots, and parks.
• Not only does it provide an aesthetic value with its significant feature of a bulging trunk to the surroundings, but it also acts as a screen or shade protection from the scorching rays of the sun.
• At Bungil Street of Roma in Queensland, Australia, 93 bottle trees were planted between 1918 to 1920 in two phases. Each tree represents a fallen soldier in World War I.
• On October 21, 1992, it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register.
• With an incredible girth of 29.5-32.8 ft (9-10 m) and a height of 19.6 ft (6 m), Roma's largest bottle tree was relocated to its current place by Roma Town Council in 1927 and is believed to have originated in the 19th century.
• Though they grow mostly well in the Mediterranean climates of Australia and parts of Africa, their hardy nature also allows them to thrive in the tropical parts of the world, namely Hawai and Florida.
• Few species of bottle trees have also been planted in south Californian backyards and in a garden culture that is not deciduous but has sparser evergreen foliage.

Bottle Tree Varieties

There are multiple species of bottle trees found around the world. Popular and known among them are:

• Adansonia species are found both in Africa and Australia.
• In the African region, its common name is Baobab.
• Six of these varieties are found in Madagascar, making it the national tree of this country.
• Also referred to as the 'tree of life,' it provides shelter, food, medicines, and water to both animals and humans in different parts of the African savannah.
• While in Australia, it is referred to as Boab (Adansonia gregorii) and is native to the parts of Kimberly, Central Queensland, and New South Wales.
• Pachypodium lealii (Apocynaceae) is another species found in Namibia and Angola.
• Moringa (Moringaceae) are native trees and are frequent in the island country of Madagascar.
• Brachychiton species, also referred to as the Queensland bottle tree (Brachychiton rupestris) or Kurrajong (Brachychiton populneus), are mostly found in the interior semi-arid and dry parts of Australia, including Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, and New Guinea.
• Ceiba species, with common names of Paineira or Toborochi, belong to the bottle tree family and are found mostly in South America.

Bottle Tree's Habitat

Queensland bottle tree, with its fast-growing tendency, is scattered throughout the central parts of Queensland.

• Bottle tree has very well adapted to the desert type of climate and is found on hilltops or ridges.
• The Queensland Nature Conservation Act marks it under the 'Least Concern' category; still, it falls under an endangered ecosystem.
• For better protection, it has been now conserved in several National Parks, namely Auburn River, Dipperu, Tregole, Isla Gorge, and many more national parks.

Bottle Tree's Benefits

With its impressive canopy and dense, pointed foliage, it provides shade to both animals and plants and protects from strong winds. Here are some of the benefits of bottle trees:

• The roots of the young trees have been utilized as food by native people and animals.
• Sometimes, secretions pour down from cuts in the bark that are used to quench thirst.
• The inner fibers of the bottle tree were used for making different objects of daily use, including nets and ropes by natives.
• The leaves of the tree are used as animal fodder in different parts of Australia, and it is believed that during drought conditions, the whole tree is cut down and fed to the cattle.
• By removing the bark, the soft pulp is consumed.
• Though it can provide a lot of energy, it has a low protein content.
• While feeding to cattle or consuming, one must be careful as cases of cattle deaths due to nitrate poisoning were observed a few times.