The Brachychiton acerifolius has an old history in Australia, where this tree originates from. Here it grows in the tropical and subtropical regions on the east coast. The original inhabitants of Australia, also known as the Aborigines, used the inner bark of the tree to make rope, fishing nets and traps. In addition, the large seeds were used as a food source. It is a fast-growing tree species with a long lifespan of 50 to 150 years. In the wild and under the right conditions, this tree can grow up to 20 metres high.

The Brachychiton acerifolius is also known as the bottle tree. It owes this name to its swollen trunk, which is shaped like a bottle. Water is stored in the trunk for drier periods. Because of this, the bottle tree is very adaptable and can withstand temperatures between -10 and +50 degrees Celsius. Despite its high adaptability, the Brachychiton prefers a sunny, sheltered spot and will perform less well under very hot and dry conditions.

In addition to its nickname as a bottle tree, the Brachychiton is also known as a flame tree due to its striking inflorescence. The tree flowers in the dry summer season when it has no leaves and then colours bright red. The numerous bell-shaped flowers hang in clusters at the ends of the branches. Only the mature trees flower.

In addition to beautiful flowers, the Brachychiton also produces fruit. These look like large, leathery, leguminous follicles that are about 10 cm long and 4 cm wide. The fruits are smooth on the outside, but inside they contain masses of thin, irritating hairs that surround the seeds. These seeds inside are small, yellow and resemble maize kernels. These seeds were used as a food source because they are rich in protein and taste like raw peanuts. They were usually boiled before being eaten to ensure that all irritating hairs were burnt off.

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