

Bottlebrushes
Botanical name: Callistemon
Bottlebrushes
Botanical name: Callistemon


Description

The bottlebrushes (Callistemon) are a sizable group of flowering shrubs in the myrtle family. Bottlebrushes are so-named because of their flowers – growing in long cylindrical clusters and sporting very long, straight stamens, they bear a strong resemblance to the brushes used to clean bottles. These plants' showy blooms, which tend to show up from mid-spring through early summer, have made them quite popular as ornamentals.

Species of Bottlebrushes


Crimson bottlebrush 'Mauve Mist'
Crimson bottlebrush 'Mauve Mist' is a compact variety of Crimson bottlebrush named for its misty-looking mauve bottlebrush blooms. This color is unique to this cultivar and is particularly attractive to birds (especially hummingbirds). Gardeners love that this shrub is great for hedges, erosion control and windbreaks.

Weeping bottlebrush 'Captain Cook'
The weeping bottlebrush 'Captain Cook' (Callistemon viminalis 'Captain Cook') are a sizable group of flowering shrubs in the myrtle family. Weeping bottlebrush 'Captain Cook' are so-named because of their flowers – growing in long cylindrical clusters and sporting very long, straight stamens, they bear a strong resemblance to the brushes used to clean bottles. These plants' showy blooms, which tend to show up from mid-spring through early summer, have made them quite popular as ornamentals.

Blackdown Bottlebrush
This species is a small, spreading, but compact shrub with hard bark, soft foliage, and profuse spikes of bottlebrush flowers in spring and summer. Its leaves are arranged alternately and are 1.5 to 2.5 cm long, 1.5 to 5 mm wide, flat, and linear to narrow egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base. The flowers are red, tipped with yellow, and are arranged in short spikes on the ends and sides of branches, which continue to grow after flowering. The flowering occurs mainly in spring and is followed by fruits which are woody capsules 2.5 to 5 mm long.

Weeping bottlebrush
Weeping bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis) is an evergreen tree that comes from Australia. It gets its common name from its blooms, which resemble bright red bottle brushes. This species is commonly grown in gardens, and its sweet nectar attracts birds.

Bottlebrush
Bottlebrush (*Callistemon rigidus*) is a shrub native to Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. It does well in many types of soil as long as it is damp and the shrub has access to full sunlight. The nectar from bottlebrush's bright flowers attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.

Crimson bottlebrush
Crimson bottlebrush is a shrub commonly found in swamps and near rivers. The source of the common name is easily seen in its flowers' appearance. Those flowers produce sweet nectar which attracts numerous species of birds. The specific epithet, "citrinus," was given because the crimson bottlebrush's leaves give off a citrus-like scent when crushed.

Crimson bottlebrush 'Perth Pink'
Crimson bottlebrush 'Perth Pink' offers arching branches that hold bottle-brush shaped bright pink flowers. New leaves emerge as an attractive silvery-pink before they deepen into green. This is a cultivar of Callistemon citrinus named for its pink tones. It is deer-resistant, pest-free, and disease-free, making it a popular choice for gardeners. It also attracts bees and insects as pollinators.

Weeping bottlebrush 'Little John'
Weeping bottlebrush 'Little John' is a small evergreen shrub that is native to Australia. Its brilliant reddish-pink flowers in spring and summer attract bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. This drought-tolerant plant is perfect for a rock garden or as a low hedge.

White bottlebrush
White bottlebrush has been a popular garden plant for many years, often being used as a hedge or wall-side border. It is also a winner of the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. The plant gets the common name, "White Bottlebrush," from its creamy white spring and summer flowers that look like bottle brushes. The sweet-scented flowers attract hummingbirds and other pollinators.

Callistemon paludosus
The callistemon paludosus (Callistemon paludosus) are a sizable group of flowering shrubs in the myrtle family. Callistemon paludosus are so-named because of their flowers – growing in long cylindrical clusters and sporting very long, straight stamens, they bear a strong resemblance to the brushes used to clean bottles. These plants' showy blooms, which tend to show up from mid-spring through early summer, have made them quite popular as ornamentals.

Callistemon pityoides
The callistemon pityoides (Callistemon pityoides) are a sizable group of flowering shrubs in the myrtle family. Callistemon pityoides are so-named because of their flowers – growing in long cylindrical clusters and sporting very long, straight stamens, they bear a strong resemblance to the brushes used to clean bottles. These plants' showy blooms, which tend to show up from mid-spring through early summer, have made them quite popular as ornamentals.
Crimson bottlebrush 'Splendens'
Callistemon 'Splendens' is a commonly grown cultivar of the plant genus Callistemon. It has a compact and rounded habit and usually grows to about 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) high and wide, although it may grow taller. Large, well-displayed "brushes" are produced in late spring, with further flowering sometimes occurring at other times. New growth is pink-tinged and the leaves are elliptic and up to 90 mm long and 20 mm wide. The cultivar, which has been in grown for many years, is of uncertain origin. It was originally known as Callistemon citrinus var. splendens, first formally described in 1925 in Botanical Magazine. In 1970 it was promoted under the name 'Endeavour' to mark the bicentennial of James Cook's voyage to Australia on the Endeavour. It was registered under the name Callistemon 'Splendens' with the Australian Cultivar Registration Authority in 1989. This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.




Scientific Classification
