GREENGOLD GARDEN CONCEPTS
CARE AND MAINTENANCE NOTES

BOTTLEBRUSHES

All the CALLISTEMON species are bottlebrushes, but so are many MELALEUCAS and one KUNZEA. CALOTHAMNUS species have one sided brushes and are often called netbushes.

Plants of the Myrtaceae family have noticeable features in common. Their leaves are dotted with oil glands which often make them fragrant.. The flowers are stalkless with conspicuous, frequently highly colored stamens, which are longer than their inconspicuous sepals and petals.

The woody seed cases contain many minute fine seeds which they do not generally release until removed from the plant, or until that part of the plant dies. The flowers and fruits are much loved by birds. The new foliage is often deeply colored cream, pink, red, or bronze; growth often occurring twice a year, making an attractive foliage contribution to the garden.

All GREENGOLD GARDEN CENTRES will have a selection of bottlebrush plants, especially Callistemon and Melaleuca, and specialist native nurseries should have all the plants described. Discuss your requirements with your GREENGOLD nurseryman, read the labels, and make sure that the plant you choose suits your site in size and soil conditions.

As well as the bottlebrushes, there are other attractive, useful Melaleucas and Kunzeas that you should try, with small but brightly colored fluffy flowers. They range from tall to low shrubs, and prostrate forms which suit a variety of conditions from dry to moist. Several are frost tolerant..

CALLISTEMON: The name callistemon is derived from two greek words, "callos" (beautiful) and "stemon" (stamen). The genus, of which there are about 25 species, is endemic to Australia, mainly in the eastern states. Many occur in moist, sunny habitats, but most are adaptable to various garden conditions. They are hardy and quick growing in fairly deep, but light, loamy or sandy soil. Protect them from strong winds. Like many natives, many callistemons will tolerate both waterlogging and dry periods but keep the water up to them in a dry summer to get the best flowering, and well presented shrubs.

They like to be well mulched, and they are fairly frost resistant. The color of the flowers range through white, cream, and green, to mauve, pink, purple, and red. Some give the pleasure of two flowering seasons a year. There are many variations within a specieswhich combined with a readiness to freely hybridize makes for a very considerable collection.

Some popular callistemon are: "Anzac" (white), "Burgundy", "Captain Cook", citrinus comboynensis, "Dawson River","Endeavor",formosus,"Hannah Ray", "Harkness", "In june","Kings Park Special","Lilacinus", linearis"Little John", "Mauve Mist", pachyphyllus pinifolius (green), pallidus (yellow), pearsonii , phoeniceus piyoides (cream), polandii "Red Clusters", "Reeves Pink" rigidus "Rocky Rambler", salignus shiressi, sieberi (cream) speciosus subulatus viminalis "Violaceus", "Viridflorus" (green) "White Ice", "Western Glory".

MELALEUCAS: The name is derived from the greek "melas"(black) and "leucos" (white). Scientists considering the first plants observed, must have seen the contrasting fire-scarred trunks and pale upper branches. Some have the popular name "honeymyrtle" others commonly known as paperbarks. Only ony species, m. quinquinervia, is found outside Australia. About 150 species range from low shrubs to large trees, occurring in varying habitats, though many prefer damp and waterlogged sites. Most are adaptable and very useful as background plants.

There are a number of attractive flower forms as well as those called "bottlebrushes". The colors are extensive, and some are very showy plants with attractive foliage.

Melaleucas are improved by pruning. For a good shaped bush, the end of the flowering should be sacrificed when the growing tip appears outof the bloom.

Selecting melaleucas: White/Cream/Yellow: M. armillaris, baxteri, decora, huegelii, incana, lanceolata, linarifolia, pauciflora, quinquinervia, squarrosa.

Red: M. elliptica, fulgens, hypericifolia, laterita, steedmanii

Pink/Mauve: M. decussata, glaberrima, laxifolia, nesophila, radula

Green; M. diosmifolia

CALOTHAMNUS: This is a Western Australian genus, of about 25 species. The flowers are mostly a bright red claw-like cluster, usually occuring on one side of the axis. They appreciate the same growing conditions as Callistemons. The name "netbush" refers to the fine foliage. They are under-rated as garden plants and should be more widely planted. Experience has shown that calothamnus will adapt well to eastern gardens.

KUNZEA: named after a German botanist, Kunzea is an endemic genus of about 30 species occuring across the continent as low plants to tall shrubs. Only one, kunzea baxteri, with bright red spikes, can be called a bottlebrush, but they all have attractive fluffy flowers heads, and are useful garden plants.