PlantFiles: Narrow-leaf Bottletree, Queensland Bottle Tree, Queensland Kurrajong
Brachychiton rupestris

I started this plant from seed outside to be used as a house plant. 5 came up & thier three months old. I just noticed they have spider mites & have sprayed them with diazinon outside. I pulled on one that looked the worst & a small bottle trunk appeared which was under the soil. Does anyone know how else to get rid of the mites? I cant water them a whole lot or they might rot. Thank-you for any info. Rachele

This Australian tree is grown for its massive, swollen trunk. It grows from 2' to 10' in 3-4 years given plenty of heat, and then seems to slow down a little and fatten up. Mature trees over 50 years old can have trunks 20' in circumference. The trunks are smooth and a greenish grey. The leaves on this tree are palmately lobed and dark green, with red veination. It has whitish, pink flowers but only occasionally and are not one of its more impressive features (unlike several other spectacularly flowered Brachychitons). Though it is somewhat frost tender, it can easily recover from temps down into the low 20s. It also stores a significant amount of water in its trunk and is very drought tolerant. It makes a good addition to a cactus/ succulent garden. However it does tend to lose its leaves late in winter, necessitating picking of leaves out of cactus spines.