Callistemon Brachyandrus

Price:

$110.00 (including GST)

Common Name:

PRICKLY BOTTLEBRUSH

PLEASE NOTE: Orders are by full tray only. Each tray contains 40 plants. When ordering, please choose how many trays you would like.

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE:

1. Spreading rounded shrub growing 1–4 m high and wide

2. Branchlets yellow or reddish, minutely hairy

3. ‘Leaves’ grey-green, 1.5–5 cm long, 3–7 mm wide, radiating around branchlets, variable in shape

4. Bright golden ball flowers in heavy clusters at branch ends; flower stalks stout, with minute golden hairs; flowering April to October

5. Seed pods straight or curved, 5–10 cm long, 4–9 mm wide, dark brown at maturity, may have a whitish bloom
Usually a small to medium shrub, growing to 3 metres tall by 2 metres wide. Young growth is softly hairy.
Leaves are very narrow and tubular, to 30 mm long and 1 mm wide; prickly.
The striking inflorescences are comparitively small, about 6 centimetres long and to 3 cm wide; red with golden anthers.
The flowering period extends from spring to autumn with sporadic flowering at other times.
Capsules are to 5 mm diameter, arranged in the same spike-like structure along branches.

WHERE IT GROWS & WHY:

Occurs naturally in the far inland regions of New South Wales (western plains and far western plains), as well as central Victoria and mostly in the east of South Australia.
It is naturally found on sandy soils and these are recommended for best results.
Proven to be very hardy; can cope with drought and frost.
Full sun is preferred for maximum flowering.
Useful shrub in dry and low-humidity areas.

MANAGEMENT/SIGNIFICANCE:

Could be grown in an informal hedge or background shrub. Pruning after the main flowering period will keep plants bushy and flowering prolifically.
Useful in windbreak plantings in hot dry regions.
Foliage is good refuge of birdlife.

Image Source: Flower - Fagg, M. via Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG)

Image Source: Plant - Fagg, M. via Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG)

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