details

Statement of Significance

The site of Brisbane City Botanic Gardens was selected as a public garden in 1828 by New South Wales Colonial Botanist Charles Fraser, three years after the establishment of the European settlement. Originally the garden was planted with food crops to feed the convicts. In 1855, a portion of the land was declared a 'botanic reserve' and Walter Hill was appointed as curator. The Queensland Heritage Register describes the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens as 'the most significant, non-aboriginal cultural landscape in Queensland having a continuous horticultural history since 1828, without any significant loss of land area or change in use over time.' It incorporates Brisbane's most mature gardens and features many rare and unusual species of plants. This tree is one of the exotic species planted by Walter Hill in 1864. It is native to northern Central America and is used for dyes. It is an important source of haematoxylin, used for histology purposes.
This tree is an example of one of the original exotic specimens planted in the gardens and it is associated with Walter Hill, the garden's original curator, who was responsible for its planting.
The tree is located between the hibiscus garden and the river path in the south eastern part of the gardens.