what would you suggest be used as a street tree?

Originally Posted by BCC Website

Trees suitable under powerlines

* golden penda (Xanthostemon chrysanthus)
* ivory curl flower (Buckinghamia celsissima)
* Kaffir bean (Schotia brachypetala)
* native wisteria tree (Pongamia pinnata)
* pink bottlebrush (Callistemon 'Eureka')
* poinciana (Delonix regia)
* silver trumpet tree (Tabebuia argentea)
* tulipwood (Harpullia pendula)

Trees on footpaths 4.5 metres or greater

These tree must have more than 1.5 metres clearance from the kerb or footpath strip.

* jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia)
* poinciana (Delonix regia)

General street trees

* broad leaved paperbark (Melaleuca quinquinervia)
* brush box (Lophostemon confertus)
* bumpy Ash (Flindersia schottiana)
* cassod tree (Cassia siamea)
* crows Ash (Flindersia australis)
* pink trumpet tree (Tabebuia rosea)
* small leaved lilly pilly (Syzygium leuhmanii)
* tuckeroo (Cupaniopsis anacardioides)
* weeping paperbark (Melaleuca leucadendron)
* weeping satinash (Waterhousea floribunda)
* yellow poinciana (Peltophorum pterocarpum)
* leopard tree (Caesalpinea ferrea)**

**Leopard trees can only be used as new or replacement trees in city centre significant streetscapes and will not be used for plantings in residential suburban streets.
Species trial

Council is trialling a selection of South East Queensland rainforest tree species for use as street trees. The program began in June 2000 with help from the Brisbane Rainforest Action and Information Network.

There are 12 trial species either planted in streets or in nursery production. They are:

* Alectryon connatus
* Alectryon tomentosus
* Aphananthe philippinensis
* Atalaya salicifolia
* Dissiliaria baloghioides
* Elaeocarpus eumundi
* Elaeocarpus obovatus
* Flindersia bennettiana
* Flindersia collina
* Flindersia xanthoxyla
* Guoia semiglauca
* Rapanea variabilis

Originally Posted by BCC Newsletter

Brisbane’s street trees are on the front line when it comes to managing and mitigating the effects of climate change. As well as enhancing shady, attractive streetscapes for our liveable city, they provide a wealth of less obvious services, such as buffering the effects of extreme weather and encouraging greenhouse gas reductions by creating cooler and more ‘walkable’ neighbourhoods.

Since 1989, Council has regularly trialled native species that may be suitable for street tree planting in Brisbane. Community groups suggest species showing some of the traits important to street trees while they grow in bushland rehabilitation settings. Council’s nursery contractor propagates the species that are then planted in footpaths of varying soil types across the city. Council monitors the performance of trial street trees. ‘Graduate’ species of the testing program earn their place on the front-line. Many of Brisbane’s most successful trial graduates and street trees are in the Sapindaceae family, especially the smaller species. These grow naturally on rainforest margins in drier scrubs. Storm damage from November last year is a reminder that street trees face extreme weather as well as a wide range of growing conditions. Tree risk management must be considered.

Students from the University of Queensland and Griffith University participated in this year’s trial monitoring. Grey bird’s eye (Alectryon connatus), lancewood (Dissalaria baloghioides) and Bennett’s ash (Flindersia bennettiana), trialled in 2003, have been confirmed for wider use based on results collected in February this year.

Guoia (Guoia semiglauca) and hairy bird’s eye (A. tomentosus) are performing well and native olive (Olea paniculata) and pitted-leaf steelwood (Toechima tenax) are showing early promise.

The trials also show that regular maintenance improves tree performance.
A community survey has been held for the Tree Policy Review, including species choice revision. Results will be available on Council’s website.

More information on Council street trees and tree policies is available from Lyndal Plant, Principal Urban Forest Policy Officer or phone Council on (07) 3403 8888.

Originally Posted by Davo The Terrible

An uncommon tree that I think would make a great street tree is Lysiphyllum hookeri. Another favourite of mine is Syzygium tierneyanum.
I think the "native to the area" factor is overplayed most of the time; often it seems to take precedence over other factors such as appropriate form, hardiness, & general attractiveness.

Originally Posted by jmcg.insight.gardens

One would think that if it has been used successfully in Townsville as a street tree it might prove the same in Brisbane.

Originally Posted by Davo The Terrible

ah, I do like Harpullia hillii, let us know how they go. On another note, have you seen many Acmena hemilampra being used as street trees? They are getting more popular down here on the Gold Coast, and so far they seem to be working well - very tough plants! Once again though, they do tend to be low branching, and naturally take a "shrubby" form.

Originally Posted by jmcg.insight.gardens

Hey what about Rhodospaera rhodanthema, Deep Yellow Wood

Originally Posted by Davo The Terrible

There are some street plantings in Nerang of this species. They are doing very well, and so far there have been no problems that I am aware of regarding the ball shaped seeds. I'll get some photos next time i'm in the area. In the same street there are also a couple of plantings of Gmelina leichhardtii (White Beech) which look good.
I think the main problem limiting the use of these sorts of trees is nursery availability. Councils will almost always require street tree plantings to be 45L-100L bag size at planting, which usually eliminates all but the most common species from use.