What is a bottlebrush plant?
A bottlebrush is an Australian shrub or small tree with brush-like red, pink, white or yellow flower spikes, shaped like the brushes used to clean bottles. It belongs to the myrtle family.
The brush-like spikes are made of many small flowers with long, colourful stamens that stick out from the stem. After flowering, woody seed capsules remain along the branch for years.
Bottlebrushes were long known by the genus name Callistemon, but botanists have moved most species into the related genus Melaleuca, which also includes paperbarks.
Garden favourites
Bottlebrushes are popular in Australian gardens because they are hardy, flower for long periods and attract birds. Honeyeaters, wattlebirds and lorikeets feed on their nectar.
Many species grow naturally along creeks and swamps in eastern Australia, and some tolerate flooding well. Their dense, prickly foliage provides shelter for small birds.
Gardeners prune them lightly after flowering to encourage bushier growth and more flowers. Dozens of cultivars have been bred, from dwarf forms for pots to weeping varieties, and they are planted as street trees in many Australian cities. Bottlebrushes are also grown overseas in warm climates, including California.
Did You Know?
Crimson bottlebrush was among the first Australian plants grown in English gardens in the late 1700s.