Brisbane tree guide

Golden penda

Xanthostemon chrysanthus · also called Johnstone River penda, River penda

Golden penda is a north Queensland rainforest tree grown for its big, fluffy clusters of bright yellow flowers, which attract birds. It is one of the species in Brisbane City Council's free native plant program, recommended as a feature tree, screen, hedge or windbreak. Pruned each year it stays compact, but left alone it can become a dense 10 to 15 metre tree.

Australian native
8 to 15 m tall
Flowers December to August

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A golden penda tree in Brisbane — Photo: John Robert McPherson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Golden penda at a glance

Height: 8 to 15 m (up to 20 m in the wild)
Spread: 5 to 10 m
Leaves: Evergreen
Flowers: Yellow, December to August
Origin: Far north Queensland, from Townsville to Cape York
Family: Myrtaceae

How to identify a golden penda

Leaves are glossy, lance-shaped and up to about 15 cm long, often crowded along the stems, and a hand lens shows tiny brown oil dots. The giveaway is the flowers: tight, head-like clusters near the branch tips, each flower with five small petals and a burst of golden stamens as long as 3 cm, so the whole cluster looks like a bright yellow pompom. Small round capsules follow. The canopy is dense and dark green. A smaller relative, Xanthostemon paradoxus, also has fluffy yellow flowers but stays under about 7 metres.

Golden penda flowers up close — Photo: Steve Fitzgerald, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Growing a golden penda in Brisbane

Although it comes from the tropics, it flowers reliably in subtropical gardens and often starts within two or three years. A selected form, 'Expo Gold', was showcased at Brisbane's World Expo in 1988. Brisbane City Council suggests full sun to part shade and well-drained soil, and it likes humid conditions, ample water and some soil enrichment. It won't tolerate frost. Allow room: it casts dense shade and can spread to 5 metres or more, so it suits medium to large yards and parks.

What to watch out for

It is a hardy tree, but it may be susceptible to myrtle rust and it can't handle frost. Left unpruned it becomes a dense, wide tree that shades out plants underneath, so give it space away from the house.

Pruning and care

Golden penda takes pruning well. It can be kept to large-shrub size with a trim every year, or clipped as a dense hedge or screen, which also encourages flowering. Without pruning, expect a much bigger tree over time. Give it regular water while it establishes and through dry spells, plus a layer of mulch to keep the soil moist. Keep an eye on new growth for disease such as myrtle rust, and book a tree health check if something looks wrong.

Golden penda: your questions

Short answers, from the sources below.

Back to the tree guide

How tall does a golden penda grow?

Brisbane City Council describes golden penda as a tree up to about 8 metres, while native plant societies say garden trees can reach 10 to 15 metres over time. A yearly prune keeps it much smaller.

When does golden penda flower in Brisbane?

Brisbane City Council says the golden yellow flower clusters appear from summer through to winter. Young plants often start flowering within two or three years.

Can you prune a golden penda hard?

Yes. It responds well to pruning and can be kept at large-shrub size with an annual trim or clipped as a hedge, which also helps it flower.

Is golden penda native to Brisbane?

It is an Australian native, but not a local one. It grows wild in far north Queensland, between Townsville and Cape York, and flowers reliably in subtropical gardens like Brisbane's.

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Sources and credits

Photo: John Robert McPherson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Second photo: Steve Fitzgerald, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

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