The Illawarra flame tree is a large deciduous tree native to the east coast subtropical rainforests of Australia.
I encountered this one a week or so ago and it stopped me in my tracks.
Although it's nearly finished flowering, the tree was still strikingly beautiful. And the carpet of red on the ground from the fallen blooms was also really lovely.
The fruit had me curious, as the pods are extremely large.
The large seeds are edible, normally they are cooked before eating as that removes the hairs. They are rich in protein and taste like peanuts.
Traditionally, the inner bark was utilised for a number of things, such as string for making fishing nets.
I also found the leaves really lovely, I had to zoom in with my camera to get a closer look.
Now I know where this one is, I will visit at different times during the year to capture it's shifting beauty throughout the seasons...
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