HIBISCUS tiliaceus

Cotton Tree
Bush Food & Medicine

SKU: N 133
Stock: In Stock

Family: Malvaceae
Characteristics: Shrub 4-9 m spread 1-3 m

Seed per packet: Approx. 10
Seed per gram: Approx. 60

Size:
$7.00 AUD Excl. GST

An evergreen, fast-growing large shrub or small tree with a wide-spreading crown of attractive dark green rounded to heart-shaped foliage.
Showy bright yellow, Hibiscus-like flowers with crimson centres, borne in profusion in summer, flowers fading to tawny or burgundy red before falling.
An ideal shade tree, screen, or windbreak for coastal gardens tolerating full exposure to salt water and strong, salt-laden winds.

The Aboriginals used the leaves wrapped around food before cooking to add flavour, and the flowers are edible. The bark and sap wood are infused in water and poured over wounds as an antiseptic.

Occurs in subtropical and tropical coastal regions of Australia, and worldwide.

Prefers light soil in an open sunny position, drought-resistant, salt spray tolerant but frost tender.

Please Note: Although many of the traditional Bush Food and Medicine plants are now commercially produced in various forms we recommend you research these before using them as any form of food or medicine. Some parts of the plant may not be edible or some may need to be prepared before they are safe to eat or use in any way. We do our best to describe their traditional & modern uses. It is the purchaser's responsibility to ensure they are fit for their intended use.

Grow notes:

Although seed can be sown most of the year in many parts of Australia seed is generally best sown in spring or autumn, avoid the coldest and hottest months of the year. The optimum germination temperature for germination is around 18-24°C

  1. Soak in tepid water overnight.
  2. Sow seed on a porous seed-raising mix and cover to a depth of 1-2mm
  3. Place in a warm shaded or semi-shaded position to avoid dying out.
  4. The growing medium should be well-draining but should remain damp between watering. Keep moist but not too wet as the seed may rot. Do not let the growing mix completely dry out. 
  5. Germination should occur in 14-28 days depending on the temperature and conditions.

General note: Seeds of many natives are dormant and require specific conditions or pre-treatment for germination.
Do not be too hasty to discard seed that does not germinate, seeds will often lay dormant until the conditions are similar to their natural requirements for germination to occur. Containers put to one side will often surprise long after they have been discarded.

We now stock a range of Propagation Accessories including the popular Aquamiser Propagation Kits, Pots, Native and Forestry Tubes, Trays, Labels and more.

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