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The Bottle Brush Tree

Callistemon is the botanical name of this shrub.  If it is pruned and restrained within 10-15 feet in height it can be bushy and replace your Christmas tree. However, left to itself this tree grows to a height of 20-25 feet easily .

The pendulous spikes of blooms in filaments of red, tipped with yellow pollen is a sight to be enjoyed. This tree I saw in a church I visited , is pretty tall. It rises above the spires of this medium sized church.  The flowers are almost done blooming as I can see from the seed pods coming up where flowers once bloomed.

I could only imagine how the tree would have looked a month earlier. The leaves look so lovely, especially the new leaves, feathery and long. The older leaves provide the depth while the younger ones provide the contrast with the lemon green color making this tree a real jewel among shrubs (as it is classified). The blooms look exactly like the bottle brushes we use in our kitchens in size and looks.

It is an evergreen tree that loves at least 8 hours of direct sunlight. It bears an abundance of blooms with a little care and perhaps a fertilizer. It can bloom even if it has been neglected like this tree here. It is an ornamental tree  which can easily be grown in containers.

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14 Points

Written by Dawn

19 Comments

      • I have made bonsai with this tree, unfortunately, the tree died along with several other bonsai when I moved house about six years ago. From about 25 that left, not one of it is the bottle brush. I will make it again if I get the proper tree.