What You Need To Know About The Queensland Brush Box Tree
With such a wealth of native tree species to choose from, it's often difficult for the average Australian gardener to know which specimens to choose. Even if you visit a local plant wholesaler, you're probably still spoilt for choice, so it's good to learn more about key native species. The Queensland Brush Box tree is a popular choice with Australian gardeners for several good reasons. Learn more here.
About the Queensland Brush Box tree
The Queensland brush box is a medium-sized evergreen tree that grows naturally across New South Wales and Queensland. The tree benefits from an attractive round head that boasts beautiful white flowers that bloom in the summer months. The dark green, oval-shaped leaves provide the perfect contrast for the white blooms, and the salmon-coloured bark adds another unusual touch. The brush box generally reaches a height of 10 to 25 metres, according to the growing conditions.
Ornamental appeal
The brush box offers enormous ornamental appeal. The dense growth creates a bold silhouette in almost any garden, and it's not uncommon to see the tree in parks or even along Queensland streets. This species blends well with other native or foreign species and, during the hottest months of the year, the brush box can offer a respite from the sun, thanks to the shaded area that the tree's natural canopy forms.
Why gardeners love the Brush Box
The brush box requires very little pruning or maintenance, so it's a good choice for a gardener with limited time on his or her hands. The tree doesn't drop large branches, so there's not much to clear up. What's more, the brush box's leaf litter takes a long time to decompose, so the chopped up waste is a great way to mulch the garden without forking out on new supplies from the garden centre.
Brush box trees also attract a lot of wildlife, including birds like lorikeets and honey eaters. These birds enjoy the nectar that the tree's blooms produce, and you may also find lots of of bees around the tree while it flowers. In some areas, you may even find flying foxes feeding in the tree.
Growing conditions
Incredibly, the brush box tree is fire retardant, so these specimens can even survive the onslaught of a bush fire. The tree enjoys fertile, free-draining soil and plenty of sunshine, but is tolerant of most growing conditions. Where the soil is poor quality, you can look after the brush box tree by enriching the soil with organic mulch and well-rotted compost. During hot spells, the tree will benefit from deep watering.
If you're looking for a beautiful, hardy, native Queensland tree, you cannot really go wrong with a Queensland brush box. For more information, contact Din San Nursery or a similar company.