Macaranga tanarius or the Parasol Leaf Tree is a large shrub or bushy small tree from tropical S.E. Asia and the northern parts of NSw through to the top of Queensland.
Reaching up to 10 metres in height, this is a handy shade tree, being able to create a canopy 5-7 metres wide of dense foliage. As such is it valued in bush regeneration as it provides shelter for other juvenile plants as they get established.
It is short-trunked with large and distinctive leaves that are almost round but with a prominent tip. They can grow up to 230cms long, are greyish on the undersides with distinctive veins on top that radiate from the leaf stalk.
They produce small yellow flowers in panicles in spring and early summer that mature to prickly fruits.
This is a suitable small tree for cultivation in warmer climates (not below 15c) where some shade is required. However they are short-lived rarely surviving more than fifteen years.