Brisbane tree guide

Cottonwood tree

Hibiscus tiliaceus · also called Native hibiscus, Sea hibiscus, Coast cottonwood

The cottonwood tree, also called beach hibiscus, is a native coastal tree with big, heart-shaped leaves and large yellow hibiscus flowers with a dark red centre. It grows naturally on beaches and tidal creek banks along the Queensland coast, including around Brisbane, and copes with salty, wet ground. It forms a broad, often sprawling shade tree for bayside and creek-side gardens.

Native to South East Queensland
2.5 to 8 m tall

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Cottonwood, from Wikimedia Commons — Photo: Vincenzo defifoot, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Cottonwood at a glance

Height: 2.5 to 8 m
Leaves: Evergreen
Flowers: Yellow
Origin: Tropical and subtropical coasts worldwide, in Australia from the Kimberley across the north and down the east coast to north-eastern NSW
Family: Malvaceae

How to identify a cottonwood

The leaves are the easiest clue: large, almost round or heart-shaped blades 5 to 20 cm long with a pointed tip, dark green on top and whitish and densely hairy underneath. The flowers are classic hibiscus cups 5 to 8 cm long, cream to bright yellow with a dark red centre, and they often turn reddish before they fall. Hairy capsules about 2 to 2.5 cm long follow. Trees are often low and irregular in shape, with branches that lean out or rest on the ground.

Growing a cottonwood in Brisbane

Cottonwood is native to the Brisbane area and grows naturally at or near sea level, on beaches, in beach forest and along the banks of tidal creeks. It withstands salty conditions and damp ground, so it suits bayside suburbs, foreshores and creek banks. It is also grown as a shade tree. Its spreading, often untidy shape needs room, so it is a poor fit for a narrow side path or small courtyard.

Pruning and care

Shape young plants early by choosing one main trunk and removing low, leaning or crossing branches, which gives a tidier tree with clearance underneath. On older trees, take out branches that rest on the ground or block paths, and remove dead wood. Water young plants until they are established. Large, spreading limbs over roofs, fences or driveways are a job for an arborist with the right gear.

Cottonwood: your questions

Short answers, from the sources below.

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Is the cottonwood tree native to Brisbane?

Yes. Cottonwood, also called beach hibiscus, grows naturally along the Queensland coast, including the Moreton district around Brisbane, and south to north-eastern New South Wales. It is also native to tropical coasts around the world.

Does cottonwood grow near the beach?

Yes. It grows on beaches, in beach forest and along tidal creeks at or near sea level, and it withstands salty conditions, which makes it useful for coastal gardens.

How big does a cottonwood tree get?

It is a shrub or small tree, usually 2.5 to 8 metres tall, often with a low, irregular shape and branches that lean out or rest on the ground.

What do cottonwood flowers look like?

They are large, cup-shaped hibiscus flowers 5 to 8 cm long, cream to yellow with a dark red centre, and they often turn reddish before they drop.

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Sources and credits

Photo: Vincenzo defifoot, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

This profile updates sheet 26 of the plant profile booklet made for Colourful Tree Lopping in 2013. We checked every fact against current sources and rewrote it for the guide.

Checked October 2026. Weed listings and council rules change: check the council's and the Queensland Government's pages before you act.