Callistemon (Bottlebrushes)

Published: July 2010

Callistemon (Bottlebrushes) are magnificent sun-loving evergreens, originating in Australia and Tasmania.  The flower spikes of bottlebrushes form in spring and summer and are made up of a number of individual flowers.  Each flower produces a small woody fruit containing hundreds of tiny seeds. These fruits form in clusters along the stem, and are usually held on the plant for many years. The seeds are usually not released from the fruits for several years, but in some species the fruits open after about a year.  The Callistemon can be seen throughout Gondwanaland.