Brachychiton acerifolius or Illawarra Flame Tree is an amazing and spectacular, deciduous, flowering tree that bears flushes of scarlet, foamy flowers from late spring to early summer on bare branches.
After flowering it produces deeply lobed, shiny, deep green leaves.
It is dry-season deciduous and prefers warm, wet, summer conditions (as per the east coast of Australia).
It is a variable flowerer - not doing so well after a wet winter - but then it'll surprise you with a spectacular display another year.
The woody seed follicles contain small round seeds surrounded with small hairs that can be irritating.
Reasonably hardy.
Grown in large gardens and parks primarily for its brilliant flower display in late spring. It will tolerate coastal conditions slightly away from beach.
Hairs around seeds can be irritating. Produces a jelly-like sap that is very caustic