Buckinghamia celsissima - Ivory Curl Tree

A stunning Australian native tree renowned for its spectacular display of beautiful sweet fragrant creamy-white cylindrical flowers in summer. Highly attractive to bees and birds. Perfect as a street tree, feature tree, hedging and windbreak for warm climate gardens.

Quick Info

Height: 6–8m (medium to tall tree)

Width: 4–6m (rounded, spreading canopy)

Growth Rate: Moderate to fast – establishes reliably

Climate & Hardiness: Prefers warm, subtropical and tropical climates. Will tolerate slight frost once established, extending suitability to warmer temperate regions. Best suited to East Coast from warm parts of NSW through Queensland and into tropical regions.

Tolerances: Will tolerate slight frost once established and moderately drought tolerant

Positioning: Full sun to part shade.  Full sun promotes vigorous growth and prolific flowering. Part shade tolerated but may reduce flower intensity.

Wildlife Attraction: Flowers are highly attractive to bees, butterflies and native birds—excellent for wildlife gardens and pollinator support.

Pest & Disease Management: Generally very hardy with few significant pest or disease issues in warm climates.

Pruning & Maintenance: Minimal pruning required. Tree naturally develops attractive rounded form. Light pruning after flowering can maintain shape and remove any dead branches. Generally very low-maintenance once established.

Perfect For

> Street trees and avenue plantings in warm climates

> Feature trees in residential and commercial gardens

> Hedging and informal screening 

> Windbreaks and shelter plantings

> Wildlife gardens attracting bees and native birds

> Warm climate shade trees with ornamental impact

Plant Variety Overview

Buckinghamia celsissima, commonly known as Ivory Curl Tree, is a stunning Australian native tree prized by landscape professionals and gardeners for its spectacular floral display, ornamental presence, and exceptional adaptability to urban landscapes. This medium to large-sized tree is widely planted as a street tree across warm Australian regions and delivers outstanding ornamental value as a feature specimen.

The tree displays an attractive canopy with dense foliage providing reliable shade and presence. The spectacular feature is the abundant display of beautiful, sweet fragrant creamy-white cylindrical flowers that appear in summer, creating a stunning ornamental show. The distinctive ivory-coloured curled flowers appear in long clusters, earning the tree its common name "Ivory Curl." The flowers are highly attractive to bees and native birds, making this an excellent choice for wildlife-friendly gardens.

Buckinghamia celsissima combines ornamental beauty with practical landscape functionality. The adaptability to urban conditions, tolerance of slight frost, versatile sizing, and exceptional ornamental flowering make this native tree an outstanding choice for warm climate regions across eastern Australia. The proven performance in streetscape and commercial applications demonstrates its reliability and professional-quality results.

Why You'll Love It

> Spectacular Summer Flowers: Abundant display of beautiful sweet fragrant creamy-white cylindrical flowers create stunning summer ornamental show

> Wildlife Magnet: Flowers highly attractive to bees, butterflies and native birds - brings life and biodiversity to gardens

> Street Tree Quality: Widely planted as street tree across warm regions - proven reliability and urban performance

> Reliable Shade Tree: Delivers substantial shade and presence without demanding space or excessive maintenance

> Frost Tolerant: Will tolerate light frost once established - extending the use beyond tropical-only regions

> Versatile Application: Equally suited to street planting, feature trees, hedging and windbreaks depending on garden requirements

> Low-Maintenance: Once established, requires minimal care - naturally maintains its attractive form