Narrow Leaf Bottlebrush Trees

Callistemon linearis: Standard Bottlebrush Trees

With showers of distinctive fluffy red flowers that bees love and looking exactly as the name Bottlebrush implies, Callistemon (also known as Melaleuca) is a tender evergreen shrub from Australia with narrow aromatic foliage that does well in the warmest parts of the UK. With an RHS Award of Garden Merit under its belt, it is a fun plant that gives a fabulous taste of Down Under.

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Features:

• Evergreen. Naturally a medium-large shrub
• Grown single-stemmed into a shrubby tree
• Informal screening
• Red, cylindrical brush-like flowers.
• Prefers neutral to mildly acidic soil
• Sizes: Big standard trees only.
• Max. Height: 3-4m
• Rated H2 Hardiness: frost tender
• RHS Award of Garden Merit

Growing Bottlebrush Trees

To get full-flowering glory from bottlebrushes, place them where they get full sun for up to eight hours a day in a sheltered spot; they will tolerate shade but will not bloom as well. They can grow in most well-drained soils but prefer lots of organic matter added in to help maintain soil moisture. Ideal for milder coastal gardens or in a pot on the patio, protect them if a frost is threatened. They will not survive in colder areas, but adapt to pots quite well, so moving them into shelter overwinter is an option.

In Your Garden Design

As with all plants originating from warmer climates, pair with other similar heat lovers and you'll be on to a winner. Packing a punch with its showers of red flowers, it will work in borders with hebes, rosemary and salvias or as a focal point in a pot on a sunny terrace.

Frost tender. Needs full sun and shelter. Recommended for the warmest parts of South England and West Wales.

Prepare your site before planting:
It is good to dig over the site where you plant a tree several months in advance. Kill the weeds first: for tough weeds like nettles, brambles and ground elder, you usually need weed-killer to get rid of them. When you dig the soil over, remove stones and other rubbish and mix in well rotted compost or manure down to the depth of about 2 spades.

Watch our video on how to plant a tree for full instructions.
Remember to water establishing trees during dry weather for at least a year after planting. You will also need to weed around the plants. Watering should be thorough, so the ground is soaked. Let the soil almost dry out before watering again. Watering & weeding will be necessary for at least a year after planting.

Tree Planting accessories:
Prepare your site for planting by killing the weeds and grass
You can buy a tree planting pack with a wooden stake & rubber tie to support the tree and a mulch mat with pegs to protect the soil around the base of your tree from weeds and drying out.
We suggest that you use mycorrhizal "friendly fungi" on the roots of all newly planted large trees: if your soil quality is poor, we strongly recommend it.
You can also improve your soil with bonemeal organic fertiliser.

If your trees do need pruning, it is ideal to do this in winter. Always hire a tree surgeon to remove large branches.

Remember to check the stake and tie supporting your trees a few times a year. Tighten the tie if it becomes loose and loosen it as the tree grows. Make sure that the tree's trunk isn't rubbing against the stake.

Hygiene & Diseases:
Dead, damaged or diseased wood can be pruned off as soon as it appears.
Disinfect your pruning tools between every cut if there is any sign of disease.
Burn or dispose of any diseased material, do not compost it.

Did You Know?

An exotic-looking member of the myrtle family, Callistemons have been around in the UK for more than 200 years; they were introduced here by Joseph Banks, the famous botanist, who sailed to Australia (amongst many other places) on Captain Cook's Endeavour expedition of 1768-1771 - this particular species is native to southeastern Australia.

They have long been an inspiration for artists, florists and photographers.