Callistemon viminalis (Sol. ex Gaertn.) G.Don · Myrtaceae
A fast-growing, tough Australian native with weeping branches and brilliant red bottlebrush flowers — a reliable screening and bird-attracting plant for almost any soil.
The Weeping Bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis) is a fast-growing evergreen native of eastern Australia, named for the cylindrical red flower spikes that resemble a bottle brush. In the family Myrtaceae, it is closely allied to Melaleuca — under which name it is sometimes listed.
Tough and adaptable, it copes with heavy clay, poor soils and seasonal wet feet, and is drought-tolerant and frost-hardy once established. Its dense weeping habit and rapid growth make it a workhorse for screening, hedging and windbreaks, while the nectar-rich flowers draw honeyeaters and lorikeets through spring and summer.
Care at a glance
Position: Full sun; tolerates a wide range of soils including heavy clay and damp creek banks.
Watering: Drought-tolerant once established but flowers more freely with occasional deep watering.
Pruning: Tip-prune after flowering to keep dense; responds well to hedging.
Planting: Space 1.5–2 m apart for a screen.
Frequently asked
Is the weeping bottlebrush good for screening?
Yes — it is fast-growing, evergreen and dense when tip-pruned, making it one of the most popular native screening plants.
Will bottlebrush grow in clay soil?
It is notably tolerant of heavy clay and even periodically wet ground, unlike many natives.
