Thread: Flame Trees 'Don Harng Nok Yung'

This is the best I can do with a quick search:

The Illawarra Flame tree, or Brachychiton acerifolius is a rapid grower at about 1m per year. It likes to grow in deep, well drained loam, in a sunny position and requires a fair amount of water. In the Spring, it will drop some or all of its leaves and flower on the bare branches. The tree needs to be mature before flowering, and too much nitrogen in the fertilizer makes for very green leaves, but no flowers.

It seems to be a nuisance in its native Australia by invading and clogging sewer lines, so that may be part of the answer to the root question. For most trees, the roots spread a bit beyond the tree's canopy, because this is the drip line from the rain. If the roots get close to the moist soil created from the drip line off the house, the roots will certainly grown into it and under the house. The tree should be planted at least one mature canopy diameter from the foundation, but there's never any guarantee.

sigh....sorry, I can't help you with this one. My one real failure has been my flame tree. I think I mentioned it in another thread.

With regard to when is the best time of year to transplant, I would hazard a guess as sometime when there is plenty of rain.
I know when some of my large trees were first put in, they drasticly pruned the leaves/fronds first. This is to limit the loss of water by transpiration.

This probably doesn't apply, but, when transplanting from a pot to the ground, I always tear the fine roots away. This is because the plant has got so used to the pot that when you put it in the ground, it still thinks it's in one and the roots won't branch out naturally. If you break away the fine roots, this promotes new root growth and the plant will discover that growing space is no longer restricted. Sounds daft, but, it works.

Also, don't forget to use compost and some fertilizer when you put it in the ground. New roots don't like growing through very hard earth.

Kids out driving Saturday afternoon pass me by
I'm just savouring familiar sights
We share some history, this town and I
And I can't stop that long forgotten feeling of her
Try to book a room to stay tonight

Number one is to find some friends to say "You're doing well
After all this time you boys look just the same"
Number two is the happy hour at one of two hotels
Settle in to play "Do you remember so and so?"
Number three is never say her name

Oh the flame trees will blind the weary driver
And there's nothing else could set fire to this town
There's no change, there's no pace
Everything within its place
Just makes it harder to believe that she won't be around

But Ah! Who needs that sentimental bullshit, anyway
Takes more than just a memory to make me cry
I'm happy just to sit here round a table with old friends
And see which one of us can tell the biggest lies

There's a girl falling in love near where the pianola stands
With her young local factory out-of-worker, holding hands
And I'm wondering if he'll go or if he'll stay

Do you remember, nothing stopped us on the field
In our day

Oh the flame trees will blind the weary driver
And there's nothing else could set fire to this town
There's no change, there's no pace
Everything within its place
Just makes it harder to believe that she won't be around

Oh the flame trees will blind the weary driver
And there's nothing else could set fire to this town
There's no change, there's no pace
Everything within its place
Just makes it harder to believe that she won't be around

Originally Posted by MeMock

Kids out driving Saturday afternoon pass me by
I'm just savouring familiar sights
We share some history, this town and I
And I can't stop that long forgotten feeling of her
Try to book a room to stay tonight
Number one is to find some friends to say
"You're doing well
After all this time you boys look just the same"
Number two is the happy hour at one of two hotels
Settle in to play "Do you remember so and so?"
Number three is never say her name
Oh the flame trees will blind the weary driver
And there's nothing else could set fire to this town
There's no change, there's no pace Everything within its place
Just makes it harder to believe that she won't be around
But Ah! Who needs that sentimental bullshit,
anyway Takes more than just a memory to make me cry
I'm happy just to sit here round a table with old friends
And see which one of us can tell the biggest lies
There's a girl falling in love near where the pianola stands
With her young local factory out-of-worker, holding hands
And I'm wondering if he'll go or if he'll stay
Do you remember, nothing stopped us on the field
In our day
Oh the flame trees will blind the weary driver
And there's nothing else could set fire to this town
There's no change,
there's no pace
Everything within its place
Just makes it harder to believe that she won't be around
Oh the flame trees will blind the weary driver
And there's nothing else could set fire to this town
There's no change, there's no pace
Everything within its place
Just makes it harder to believe that she won't be around __________________

This was written by Don Walker about Grafton on the NSW north coast.

Grafton, however is more famous for it's Jacaranda trees than it's flame trees.