Leopard tree

How to identify a leopard tree

The trunk is the giveaway. Its bark flakes off in patches, leaving a smooth, pale surface splashed with light and dark grey, brown, green and reddish blotches, much like a big cat's coat. The crown is open and spreading, with twice-divided leaves made of many small oval leaflets up to about 2.5 cm long. In summer, branched clusters of bright yellow flowers stand above the leaves. They are followed by hard, shiny, flattened pods about 6 cm long that never split open and pile up under the tree.

Growing a leopard tree in Brisbane

The leopard tree is still a common sight in older Brisbane streets and parks, and it grows well in the local climate. Brisbane City Council stopped planting it as a street tree, reportedly because of root problems and the slippery carpet of pods. It needs full sun and moist, well-drained soil, and once established it copes with dry spells and light frost. Give it a large, open spot well clear of paths, driveways, pools, pipes and the house.

What to watch out for

Plan for roots and pods. Byron Shire Council is replacing leopard trees in Bangalow's main street under a plan to stop tree roots damaging pavement and heritage buildings, and a Brisbane botany site reports Brisbane City Council stopped planting it partly because of its roots. The hard, shiny pods drop in large numbers and make paths slippery. Have an arborist check any tree showing fungus or decay: Byron Shire Council scheduled one leopard tree for urgent removal because a wood fungus infection could make it fall.

• Falling fruit. It drops masses of hard, shiny pods that cover the ground and make paths slippery.
• Size. A Brisbane horticultural guide calls it much too big for most home gardens, and Brisbane trees reach 10 to 12 metres, occasionally 20.

Pruning and care

Shape a young leopard tree early so it grows one strong main trunk, and remove badly placed branches while they are small, cutting just outside the branch collar. Mature trees need little more than removing dead or crossing wood and lifting low branches over paths. Rake up fallen pods often so no one slips. Water young trees through dry spells until established. Big limbs over a roof or road are a job for a professional with the right gear.

• Tree pruning
• Tree removal
• Stump grinding
• Tree health assessment