Plant Finder

Other Names:  Bottletree, Kurrajong

Description:

This drought tolerant tree is perfect for dry, sandy sites; attractive green foliage backdrops clusters of white flowers in late spring or early summer; a beautiful semi-evergreen accent tree

Ornamental Features

Bottle Tree features showy clusters of white bell-shaped flowers with pink spots at the ends of the branches in early summer. It has dark green evergreen foliage. The pointy leaves remain dark green throughout the winter. The fruits are showy brown pods displayed from late summer to early fall. The smooth gray bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Bottle Tree is an evergreen tree with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Bottle Tree is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Shade

Planting & Growing

Bottle Tree will grow to be about 40 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 30 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 4 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 60 years or more.

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in sandy soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America.