The “booty tree” is an informal name for Brachychiton rupestris, commonly known as the Queensland Bottle Tree. Its nickname comes from the swollen, bulbous base of its trunk, which resembles a bottle and becomes more pronounced with age. This unique characteristic serves a practical purpose for the tree’s survival in its native environment.
What is the Booty Tree
The Queensland Bottle Tree (Brachychiton rupestris) is native to Queensland, Australia, and northern New South Wales. Its distinguishing feature is the large, swollen trunk that develops with maturity, forming a bottle shape. This bulbous trunk stores water, allowing the tree to endure prolonged dry periods in its semi-arid habitat. The bottle shape typically begins to form after five to ten years of growth.
The tree’s leaves vary; young trees often have deeply lobed or palmate leaves, while mature trees tend to have narrower, lance-shaped foliage. From spring to summer, it produces small, creamy-yellow, bell-shaped flowers with red markings. These are followed by woody, boat-shaped seed pods containing seeds covered in irritating hairs; wear gloves when handling them. The bark is dark grey and can show shallow tessellation or deeper fissures on older, larger trunks.
Caring for Your Bottle Tree
This tree thrives in full sunlight, requiring at least six hours of direct sun exposure daily for optimal growth. While it can tolerate some partial shade, insufficient light can lead to stunted growth.
Brachychiton rupestris is highly drought-tolerant once established due to its water-storing trunk. Young trees need regular, deep watering to establish a robust root system, once a week. For mature trees, watering is typically needed only during extended dry spells, once every three to four weeks, allowing the soil to dry out completely between waterings to prevent root rot.
The Queensland Bottle Tree adapts to a variety of soil types but performs best in well-draining soil with a sandy or loamy texture. A slightly acidic to neutral pH range, between 5.6 and 7.5, is suitable. Good drainage is essential to prevent waterlogging and root issues.
This tree prefers warm climates and is suited for USDA zones 9 through 12. It can tolerate temperatures as low as 15-25°F (-9 to -4°C) but may suffer damage from frost, especially when young. Fertilization is not always necessary for established outdoor trees. If desired, a balanced, slow-release fertilizer, such as a 10-10-10 ratio, can be applied once a year in spring. Pruning is minimal, for removing dead or damaged branches and shaping the tree, ideally done in late winter or early spring before new growth begins.
Growing and Placement
The Queensland Bottle Tree has a moderate to slow growth rate. In its native habitat, it can reach heights of 33 to 82 feet (10-25 meters) with a trunk diameter of 3.3 to 11.5 feet (1-3.5 meters). However, cultivated specimens, especially in pots, remain much smaller, often 15 to 40 feet tall.
This tree can be grown outdoors in warm climates, requiring ample space for its mature size and root system. Younger plants can be cultivated in containers and even trained as bonsai, but they will eventually require larger pots or transplanting as they grow. When planting in a container, ensure good drainage and select a sturdy pot. Repotting may be necessary every two to three years for container-grown specimens. Mature trees can be transplanted with minimal root disturbance, even surviving for months between removal and replanting.