This is a native of Queensland and grows well in an open,
sunny position in lighter to medium type soils. The tree
has a resistance to drought and frost and is very tough
in the harsh conditions where it normally occurs. The tree
is both deciduous and evergreen, depending on the climate
and weather conditions during the year. They can grow to
quite large heights in excess of 14 metres and some specimens
grow to a width of 7-8 metres and some even larger. The
trunk at the ground level can often swell out as the tree
will take up a lot of water in dry conditions - hence the
description of bottle tree.
The fruits of the tree are small, from about 1.5cm to 2.5cm
in rounded seed pods containing from 4 to 10 seeds.
Propagation is by seed and tree growth is generally quite
slow. The trees are commonly used as stock feed in times
of severe drought as the branches are cut off and fed to
sheep and cattle. In fact, cattle can eat up a whole tree
once cut down. The trees can actually be transplanted quite
well with the branches cut back and the roots severely trimmed,
but proper care in transplanting is most important to protect
the root system.
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