Callistemon pityoides

RHS Plant Profile
alpine bottlebrush

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alpine bottlebrush visionspictures.com
alpine bottlebrush visionspictures.com

Synonyms

Callistemon sieberi misapplied

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Shrubs
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A bushy evergreen shrub, up to around 2m high, with an upright habit and a dense foliage of linear, sharply pointed green leaves. Produces short spikes of yellow flowers opening from bronze buds in mid to late summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Clay, Loam

Max Height

1.5-2.5 metres

Max Spread

1.5-2.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
5–10 years
Max Spread
1.5-2.5 metres
Max Height
1.5-2.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Poorly–drained
pH
Acid or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H3

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Myrtaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Bushy
Genus
Callistemon are evergreen shrubs with aromatic, linear to lance-shaped leaves and bottlebrush-like spikes of flowers in which the long colourful stamens are prominent
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
SE Australia

How to Grow

Cultivation

Thrives in moist, neutral to acid soil in full sun.

Propagation

Propagate by seed, sown onto moist compost at 16-18°C, in spring, or by heeled, semi-ripe cuttings of lateral shoots in late summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Minimal pruning required, see pruning group 8. Will tolerate hard pruning if necessary

Pests

May be susceptible to scale insect, mealy bug and glasshouse red spider mite

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus