Australian Flame Tree

[mike-coral gables]

This is a question for palm talk friends from Australia and Cali . My Brachychiton Acerifolius has only bloomed once in the last 5 years and I noticed today that it is budding with leaves on it . Is this normal ? Regardless I’m happy that it is budded , what a beautiful tree it is indeed ! 

[Silas_Sancona]

37 minutes ago, mike-coral gables said:

This is a question for palm talk friends from Australia and Cali . My Brachychiton Acerifolius has only bloomed once in the last 5 years and I noticed today that it is budding with leaves on it . Is this normal ? Regardless I’m happy that it is budded , what a beautiful tree it is indeed ! 

Mike,
 From what i have read, and observed back in Cali, best flower display usually occurred after a dry winter,  and trees that receive a lot of irrigation, or rainfall in the fall / through the winter would retain some or most foliage and would present a less dramatic or erratic flower display.   Odd ball,  but one of my favorite Australian trees also..

There's a hybrid tree located about a block away from the house when i lived in Bradenton that always flowered w/ at least some of the leaves still on it / New ones pushing out.  Closer to Downtown Bradenton, there were a couple other larger specimens that would flower with the foliage still attached as well.
 

[greysrigging]

In cultivation they don't always flower every year

https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/science-environment/2019/03/everything-you-need-to-know-about-our-iconic-illawarra-flame-trees/

https://www.backyardbuddies.org.au/backyard-buddies/illawarra-flame-tree

http://anpsa.org.au/b-ace.html

 

This one is near my mother's place Camden, NSW.

 

[greysrigging]

How is this for contrast !

[mike-coral gables]

Thanks for the info , will post more pics when the flowering is peaking 

[mike-coral gables]

You guys were right , most of the green leaves have now dropped . What an incredible tree !

[greysrigging]

Mate.... that's as good as you would see anywhere in NSW ! Outstanding !!

[Gonzer]

That's the most uniform blooming display I've seen for the species. In SoCal they can flower on only one side, just near the top, or just here and there, rarely as fully as yours.

[Hillizard]

Great pictures you guys of one of my favorite Australian trees! Neither my B. acerifolius nor my B. discolor have flowered yet, but at least they've given me a quick canopy for my understory palms!