Origin and Distribution
We sell the Australian bottle tree (bot. Brachychiton rupestris) under the common name Glücksbaum. This species, which belongs to the sterculia family and grows up to 25 meters high in its natural habitat, is related to the cocoa tree but originally comes from Australia. The evergreen tree with its bizarre appearance is particularly widespread in the Australian state of Queensland - and has proven itself to be extremely useful for thousands of years. The succulent plant stores water in its trunk, which can be used by hikers as a drinking water reservoir in dry periods or emergencies. In addition, parts of plants such as seeds, leaves and roots are traditionally prepared as food by the indigenous Aborigines.
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However, specimens available as houseplants in this country do not come from Australia, but primarily from Israeli breeding. Furthermore, the elephant's foot, which is also popular as a houseplant, is also known as the bottle tree, but this tree, which comes from the dry forests of Central America, is a succulent species from the Beaucarnea genus within the asparagus family (bot. Asparagaceae).
use
Due to its origin, the lucky tree is not hardy here and can therefore only be cultivated in pots. The plant can be kept very well as a houseplant all year round, but also feels very comfortable in a sunny and dry place on the balcony or terrace during the warm summer months.
Appearance and growth
The botanically correct as the narrow-leaved bottle tree (bot. Brachychiton rupestris) or because of its origin known as the Queensland bottle tree belongs to the mallow family (bot. Malvaceae). In addition to the species, the bottle tree genus (bot. Brachychiton) includes about 30 other species of very different growth and height. In addition to the bottle tree, the related Australian flame tree (bot. Brachychiton acerifolius) is often cultivated as an ornamental plant.
The succulent lucky tree has a bizarre growth, which is noticeable by a trunk that is up to about 3.5 meters thick - of course only in its natural state, because with a bucket culture the tree, which grows between ten and 25 meters high, remains significantly smaller at around two meters . However, it can also be quite large in the living room, which is often only noticeable some time after purchase: Since the plants are planted in particularly narrow pots and treated with growth-inhibiting agents before they are sold, in many cases they start to grow vigorously after the first repotting to grow.
Leaves, flowers and fruits
The green leaves are simple or divided and have one to several leaf blades that can be up to eleven centimeters long and two centimeters wide. The cream-colored flowers appear in the natural habitat between September and November, but are rarely developed in indoor culture. The elongated fruits ripen from November to May.
Toxicity
The species Brachychiton rupestris is considered non-toxic and can therefore be cultivated without hesitation in households with small children and pets.
Which location is suitable?
The home region of the bottle tree is subtropical to tropical Australia, where it can rain heavily during the rainy season - but this is always followed by a long dry period. The trees can withstand light frosts of up to minus seven degrees Celsius for a short time. The happiness tree feels most comfortable in a location that is as sunny, warm and protected from drafts and cold rain as possible. In the apartment the bottle tree belongs directly to a sunny window, which is oriented as south as possible. If, on the other hand, the plant is further inside the room or there is no south-facing window, additional lighting can compensate for the lack of light.
If you want to cultivate the plant in the living room in winter and outdoors during the summer months, you should get used to the new location in the garden or on the terrace / balcony slowly and step by step from around the end of May. Don't leave them outside overnight, at least move them back into the living room for the first few days. In very exposed locations, you should not expose the happiness tree to the blazing sun immediately - especially around noon - because this often leads to damage from sunburn. Here, too, it makes sense to gradually get used to the new location.
Substrate and drainage
Cactus soil has proven to be well suited for the special needs of the succulent happiness tree. But you can also mix them yourself from humus soil and coarse sand. In addition to a well-drained substrate, reliable pot drainage is also important, as the plant, which is native to arid regions, cannot tolerate waterlogging. The planter should therefore have a drainage hole at the bottom of the pot so that excess water can be removed promptly. In addition, you can fill in a one to two centimeter thick layer of expanded clay (€ 17.50 on Amazon *) at the bottom, which provides the necessary drainage.
Water the lucky tree
The main principle when watering the happiness tree is: Better to keep dry than moist! After all, comes from plants from very dry regions, which is why the stem base, which is shaped like a bottle, has developed as a water reservoir in the course of adapting to the environment. You should therefore water only moderately during the hot summer months and only very little during the cold season. Instead, the bottle tree can withstand short periods of dryness very well, which is why holiday maintenance is basically not necessary. During particularly hot days, you will do your plant a favor by spraying its leaves from a fine pollinator.
Fertilize lucky tree properly
Between April and September you should provide the happiness tree every two weeks with a liquid fertilizer for green or indoor plants, which you should give together with the irrigation water. However, dose the nutrients rather moderately, as over-fertilization can quickly weaken the tree. After transplanting in spring, there is no need for fertilization for a few weeks if you use pre-fertilized substrate.
Cut the lucky tree correctly
The happiness tree does not have to be cut back. Only brown leaves can be carefully removed from time to time. In principle, however, it is possible to prune back by removing the tips of the tree's shoots. On the other hand, if you just let it grow without using the scissors, the plant will sometimes start to bloom after a few years, showing pretty pink bell-shaped blossoms.
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Propagate the lucky tree
The easiest way to propagate the happiness tree is with cuttings that you cut in spring:
- Cut off the shoot tips about ten centimeters long.
- Dip the cut ends in a rooting powder.
- Plant the cuttings one by one in pots with a growing medium. (€ 9.05 at Amazon *)
- Always keep it slightly moist.
- Stretch a translucent film over the pot.
- Alternatively, you can cultivate the cuttings under glass.
- This keeps the air evenly moist, which promotes root growth.
- However, ventilate daily.
- Put the young lucky trees in cactus soil as soon as the first new shoots appear.
Alternatively, you can purchase seeds from specialist shops and use them for your own sowing. However, it is important to be patient and instinct.
Overwinter
During the winter months, the bottle tree benefits from a resting phase at around 12 to 15 degrees Celsius, during which it stops growing and only needs a little water. Therefore, slowly reduce the amount of water from around September and finally water the plant only sips at a time. Do not fertilize the lucky tree at all during this time and do not start with the new fertilizers until the first new shoots appear. Basically, a warm winter in the living room is also possible, but then thin, powerless horny shoots often form.
Diseases and pests
The lucky tree is a real beginner's tree, after all, the undemanding plant won't blame you for mistakes in care. The only problem is waterlogging, which is why you should always fill a thick layer of drainage on the bottom of the pot when repotting. This ideally consists of expanded clay or pebbles. In addition, excess irrigation water should never remain in the pot or saucer. If the tips of the leaves are brown, the humidity is too low. You can easily increase it by spraying the happiness tree with an atomizer.
Tips
The lucky tree can also be trained very well to become a bonsai. As such, the plant works very well, especially because of its twisting roots, which develop through the typical attitude in shallow bowls.
Species and varieties
In addition to the Australian bottle tree, the money or penny tree (bot. Crassula ovata) is often sold under the name of luck tree. This thick-leaf plant, which comes from South Africa, is a popular, easy-care houseplant and can grow up to one meter high if it is well grown.
Outwardly quite similar is the elephant's foot (bot. Beaucarnea recurvata), which comes from Mexico and is also often referred to as the bottle tree - but is not related to the Australian bottle tree. The elephant's foot is also very robust, durable and the ideal beginner plant.
If you are looking for something special, then the flame tree (bot. Delonix regia), also known as the flamboyant, could be the right houseplant for you. The tree from Madagascar convinces with its bright red sea of flowers, to which it owes its name. The Australian flame tree (bot. Brachychiton bidwilii or Brachychiton acerifolius) also develops a splendid red flower and is very suitable for a pot culture.
All of the species listed here have in common that they are easy-care succulents that do not die immediately even if they are not there for a long time.
