Grow a bottlebrush tree or shrub for its showy flowers. There are many varieties to choose from, big or small.Named for its bottle brush-shaped flowers, this plant can grow as a tree or a shrub. Originating in Australia, there are around 50 species of bottlebrush plants, each with a slightly different growth pattern.
The bottlebrush tree is a great attractor of pollinators and is closely related to the paperbark melaleuca. It’s such a close relative that all but four varieties have been moved to the melaleuca category!
While commercial nurseries continue to sell most bottlebrush trees as callistemon, most scientists and botanical gardens have made the transition to new names. No worries, though – I’ll make sure you have both to choose from.
Whether you grow your bottlebrush as a shrub or a full bottlebrush tree, you’ll enjoy the bright spikes of color! And so will the local butterflies and bees.A bottlebrush is several species of shrubs or small trees from the genus Callistemon and Melaleuca, native to Australia. They are well-known for their distinctive, bright red, cylindrical flower spikes that resemble a traditional bottle brush used for cleaning bottles, hence the name. The most common species is Callistemon citrinus, also known as the crimson bottlebrush.Bottlebrush trees, specifically from the genus Callistemon, are native to Australia. They occur naturally in the eastern and southeastern parts of Australia. In their native habitat, they are often found along streams and in wet or swampy areas, although they are highly adaptable and can also thrive in drier, well-drained environments.
They are often cultivated in other parts of the world due to their showy flowers.