Brachychiton RUPESTRIS

Seeds are presoaked for 24 hours in a growth stimulant (Zircon) and potassium permanganate, and after swelling are carefully scarified (the coat is scratched with a needle file or nail file, sandpaper, or rubbed with sand), then sown into a loose sowing substrate based on coco peat, perlite, vermiculite, and charcoal (an adenium mix can be used), moistened from a spray bottle, covered with film, and germinated in light, but not in direct sun, at a temperature of no lower than 25 °C (77 °F) at night and no lower than 29 °C (84 °F) during the day. Seedlings require aeration. Both waterlogging and complete drying out of the sowings must be avoided.

Seedlings appear after 3-4 weeks. Pricking out into individual containers 7 cm (2.8 in) in diameter is performed after the first pair of true leaves appears.

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Good lighting is necessary for Brachychiton; it loves bright sunlight, so the pot can be placed on windowsills "facing" southeast, southwest, and south. Only with the arrival of the summer months during the midday period will it be necessary to shade the plant with light curtains to prevent sunburn on the foliage. If light is insufficient, the tree should be given supplemental lighting with grow lights. The plant is accustomed to sunlight gradually.

For normal growth, warmth levels within 25-28 °C (77-82 °F) must be maintained. Special wintering conditions do not need to be provided, but it is important to ensure that the temperature does not drop below 10 °C (50 °F). In the spring-summer period, when morning frosts are past, the pot can be taken out into the fresh air.

Since it is an inhabitant of arid regions of the planet, it tolerates the dry air of living quarters well; however, in winter, one should not place the pot with Brachychiton next to heating appliances or central heating radiators. One should simply remember that under reduced humidity the plant is attacked by pest insects.

As soon as a new season of active vegetation begins, watering should be done generously and regularly, with the guide being the condition of the upper soil layer: if it has dried out (when pinching the soil, it crumbles), then the plant should be watered. Soft, warm water is used. In the autumn-winter period, watering is reduced, and if wintering is cool, it becomes very infrequent.

In the spring period, it will be necessary to pinch back the branch tips, as Brachychiton tends to stretch. Pruning the branches can begin in February. It is then recommended to use them for propagation.

The pot and soil are changed only when the existing root ball is completely entwined with the plant's roots. For young trees this time usually comes every year, while for older specimens changing the soil and planter is carried out only once every 3-4 years. Brachychiton should be planted to the same depth at which it grew before. A layer of expanded clay or fine pebbles must be poured at the bottom of the pot. Since the aboveground part of the plant is larger than the underground part, heavy ceramic or clay pots are chosen to prevent the planter from tipping over.

Obtaining a young tree is possible by planting seeds or by taking cuttings. Semi-woody branch cuttings at least 10 cm (3.9 in) long should be cut from shoot tips. Cuttings are planted in a pot filled with moistened sand or a sand-peat mixture. It is recommended to treat the cut surfaces with a rooting stimulant before planting. After planting, the cuttings should be placed under a glass cloche or covered with polyethylene film. This helps maintain high humidity around the twigs and creates a mini-greenhouse effect. The rooting temperature should stay within 24-27 °C (75-81 °F). Regular airing of cuttings and moistening the substrate when needed will be required. As soon as the plant roots, young brachychitons can be repotted into individual containers 9 cm (3.5 in) in diameter filled with a suitable substrate.