Ornatec InternationalSpecies reference sheet ยท ornatecinternational.com
Sterculia lanceolata
Scarlet Sterculia
For most of the year Sterculia lanceolata is a quiet, glossy-leaved evergreen of five to ten metres. In autumn it becomes something else entirely, as the fruit ripens into clusters of boat-shaped scarlet follicles that split open to display rows of shining black seeds against the red interior.
That display is the reason it is planted so widely as a park and street tree across southern China and Indochina, and it comes on a tree small enough to sit comfortably in a constrained urban space.
Specifications
- Height5 to 10 metres, occasionally to 15 metres
- Width4 to 8 metres
- Native toSouthern China including Hainan, Indochina and north-east India
- FoliageLance-shaped to oblong glossy green leaves; evergreen
- Growth rateModerate
Conditions
- SoilPrefers moist, deep, free-draining soils
- LightFull sun to partial shade
- WaterModerate; needs regular water through the growing season
- ClimateThrives in subtropical and tropical regions
Additional Features
- FlowersSmall pinkish-red star-shaped flowers in loose panicles in spring
- FruitBoat-shaped scarlet follicles splitting in autumn to display shining black seeds
- UsesStreet and courtyard trees, park groupings, campus planting and small-scale canopy
- SpacingPlant 5 to 7 metres apart for a continuous canopy
- Low MaintenanceFormative pruning to lift the crown, then little attention
- Pest ResistanceGenerally robust in subtropical conditions
- Seasonal AppealA striking autumn fruit display on an otherwise quiet evergreen tree
- Wildlife AttractionThe exposed seeds are readily taken by birds
The Scarlet Sterculia is a compact evergreen street tree that delivers a genuinely unusual autumn display.
Availability by project review. Sizes, quantities, origin and export readiness are confirmed after your plant schedule is reviewed against destination, timing and quarantine requirements. MEWA certified for supply into Saudi Arabia; Australian Export Registered Establishment.
Enquiries: sales@ornatecinternational.com
310 Donkin Rd, Utchee Creek QLD 4871, Australia
Prepared 08 September 2026