AusBonsai

A couple of photos of Qld. Bottle trees. The first one I'm part-way through taking the wire off to let the poor thing breathe. The last one is of a different tree - note the different leaves. They can have several different leaf shapes and the tree can change the shape of its leaf.
Penny.

Hi Penny,

I think you have two different species there, just based on the look of the leaves?

I have never seen the broad-leaf one in real life. I do have a narrow-leaf one.

My dad and I we have some too. One of mine is much better than the rest. I have it for 15 years now.
I will post it up later.

Same species. As I said in the first post, they can have different shaped leaves. The same tree can change its shape. One year, it can have narrow leaves, a couple of years later it can have a broad shape.
Penny

i forgot to add, I'd really like to view your tree.
Penny.

Hi Penny - I do not profess to know all about the Qld Bottle Tree, however as I have attempted and am still attempting to grow two of the Brachychiton species, I have to say that I am doubtfull if your second tree is a Brachychiton rupestris (Qld Bottle Tree) and I have just attempted to find one with similar leaf on google to no avail. It will be interesting to find out exactly what species it is.

You are correct in saying that there are two different leaved Bottle trees and mine is similar to yours but I have seen one with a normal leaf.

I am also attempting to bonsai a Brachychiton acerifolius (Illawarra Flame Tree).

Jon

Hi Jon.
In Len Webber's book, "From Rainforest to Bonsai", he states that the foliage on younger trees is variable and gives descriptions of a few, one of which describes my second tree. "Fully mature trees settle down to a narrow lanceolate to linear leaf with a blade about 8cm long by 1.7cm wide and a very thin petiole about 3.5cm long", which seems to be my first tree. He mentions that a severe pruning of a 20yr old tree resulted in the return of juvenile foliage for the next two years.
Dennis McDermott said much the same thing at his workshop I attended earlier this year.
There is also some information on the Illawarra Flame Tree in Len Webber's book for you.
Penny.