Weeping Bottlebrush
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.
At a glance
Good for
- Hedging & Screening
- Feature / Specimen
- Bird-Attracting
- Windbreak
- Coastal / Salt-Tolerant
Care
- 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.