bottle tree

American  

noun

1. any of several trees of the genus Brachychiton, native to Australia, characterized by a bottle-shaped swelling of the trunk, as B. rupestris narrow-leaved bottle tree or B. australis broad-leaved bottle tree.

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bottle tree British  

noun

1. any of several Australian sterculiaceous trees of the genus Sterculia (or Brachychiton ) that have a bottle-shaped swollen trunk

2. another name for baobab

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Etymology

Origin of bottle tree

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

“It’s pretty extreme. I worked for six months to get two enormous bottle trees here.”

From Los Angeles Times

On the western side, spectators entering through American Airlines Plaza wind their way through a landscape studded with bulbous Australian bottle trees.

From Los Angeles Times

Fingers of landscape studded with bulbous Australian bottle trees and otherworldly tree aloe break up approaching crowds and provide seating areas aplenty.

From Los Angeles Times

"One of my friends has a driftwood tree this year," she says, while glass bottle trees and even egg carton trees are an option.

From BBC

Outside his house was a yard replete with flowers, vegetables, vines and trees, including a leafless bottle tree surrounded by bottles of soda and milk of magnesia.

From Washington Post