Australian Native Plants

  Stenocarpus sinuatus (Firewheel Tree)


Stenocarpus sinuatus photo
Fire Wheel Tree, Brisbane Botanic Gardens

Photograph copyright: oznativeplants - all rights reserved.

Stenocarpus sinuatus photo
Fire Wheel Tree, Brisbane Botanic Gardens

Photograph copyright: oznativeplants - all rights reserved.

Stenocarpus sinuatus photo
Fire Wheel Tree, Brisbane Botanic Gardens

Photograph copyright: oznativeplants - all rights reserved.




FIREWHEEL TREE FACTS

distribution map showing range of Stenocarpus sinuatus in Australia

Map is from The Atlas of Living Australia web site, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia License


Common Name
Firewheel Tree

Other Names
Tulip Tree, Wheel of Fire Tree, White Oak

Description
The Fire Wheel Tree is a medium or large tree with brown or grey bark, growing to thirty metres or more in its natural habitat, but usually much smaller in cultivation. The leaves are elliptical and may be entire or with irregular large lobes. Leaves grow to about 25 cm long, although lobed leaves tend to grow longer. The tree is best known for its spectacular red wheel-shaped arrangement of flowers in summer and autumn. The fruit capsules are narrow and about 6cm long containing several flat seeds. The tree is popular in cultivation due to its striking flowers

Habitat
mountain rainforest and drier rainforest

Distribution
Stenocarpus sinuatus is found on the east coast of Queensland and north east coast of New South Wales. It is also found across the Torres Strait in Papua New Guinea.

Growth Characteristics
Height: 8m - 30m
Spread: 5m - 7m

Wildlife Interest
attracts birds



Classification
Class:Magnoliopsida
Order:Proteales
Family:Proteaceae
Genus:Stenocarpus
Species:sinuatus
Common Name:Firewheel Tree