This is no ordinary bottle tree – do you know the story behind Yamanto’s “Hug Me” Tree?
You might do a double-take if you pass by Yamanto’s Sarah Drive Park and see a giant pair of yellow eyes looking back at you.
Never fear – it’s just the friendly “Hug Me” tree, and its story is less “rags to riches” and more “weed to wonder”.
Two years ago the bottle tree had grown out of control in the yard of a One Mile home, and had to be removed.
The tree, believed to be more than 45 years old, was donated to Sarah Drive Park at Yamanto, and its naturally indented trunk provided inspiration for its special features.
At the time it was replanted, Division 10 Councillor David Pahlke said the tree had a natural smile which included two eyes and a nose, so a local artist was asked to put a friendly face on it.
Cr Pahlke said it was then named the “Hug Me” Tree, and the Yamanto community has taken it to heart.
Division 10 Councillor David Pahlke and some young residents welcome the Hug Me Tree to Yamanto in 2015.
Six incredible facts about the Queensland bottle tree (Brachychiton rupestris)
1. The tree’s distinctive swollen shape is due to water held between the inner bark and trunk.
2. They are super-tough, able to withstand temperatures from -8 degrees up to +50 degrees Celsius. The Hug Me Tree was able to survive up to three months out of the ground before transplanting.
3. Bottle trees can live for hundreds of years, but it’s hard to determine the age because the species has a fibrous trunk and therefore no age rings.
4. The seeds, roots, stems, and bark have all traditionally been a source of food for people and animals alike. The fibrous inner bark can be used to make twine or rope and can even be woven together to make fishing nets.
5. Bottle trees grow up to 20m high, and can be more than 3m wide.
6. The trees are semi-deciduous, dropping leaves before flowering. The bell shaped, yellowish flowers usually form between October and December.
