Bottle Brush Tree

The bottle brush tree is small, magnificent and evergreen. It belongs to the family Myrtaceae, and is also known as Callistemon. The bottle brush tree derives its name from the fact that the bright red flowers that it bears have the shape of a bottle brush. Bottle brush trees grow superbly in the regions where the climate is warm, humid, and receive full sunlight. Australia is known to be its place of origin.

Many people, especially gardeners, prefer bottle brush trees in their gardens. Bottle brush trees give a stunning look to any garden. If you are fond of gardening and are looking forward to growing bottle brushes in your surroundings, you can rest assured that the result will be simply great. Read on to learn some basics of bottle brush trees, and how to help them grow healthy, and magnificently.

Bottle Brush Tree Propagation: Bottle brush trees are mostly grown from seeds. The unopened fruit are kept in a paper bag in a warm place to make them release the seeds. The seeds are sown in spring and summer. Bottle brush seeds hybridize very easily. Therefore, whenever parental features preservation is the aim, they are grown directly from the stem-cuttings. Semi-mature wood cuttings are preferred.

Bottle Brush Tree Flower: The flowers are bright purple, pink, and red, and attract nectar-feeding birds and insects. The flower spikes of the bottle brush trees are made of several individual flowers. The flower spike formation occurs in the spring and summer seasons. The filament (a long, red or yellow colored stalk) holds the pollen at its tip, and gives the flower spike a distinctive color and the so-called "bottle brush" shape. The flowers produces small woody fruit that contain numerous seeds. The fruit form along the stem, and are found in bunches. A peculiar quality of bottle brush trees is that they hold the fruit for several years and do not release the seeds. But there are certain species of bottle brush trees where seeds are found to be released by the fruit in a year's time. Fire is known to stimulate the fruit to open. The bottle brush tree's foliage is also very ornamental. The leaves are often dark green, aromatic, and are laden with soft, fine hairs.

There is a species of bottle brush trees which is highly ornamental and is called the white bottle brush tree. It is striking to look at and is the most favorite among gardeners. It has beautiful leaves, flowers and bark. The leaves are willow-like and bright green in color. This is why the white bottle brush tree is also known as the willow bottle brush tree. The leaves are elliptical in shape with an approximate length of 5 - 9 cm, and a width of 0.4 - 1.5 cm. The flowers are creamy-white and appear in late spring. Even the trunk of this bottle brush tree is very attractive, with a paper-barked appearance. The trunk color is a mixture of cream and tan.

Bottle Brush Tree Pruning: Bottle brushes are usually frost-tolerant woody shrubs. They grow to an average height of 3 - 4 meters. Bottle brush trees produce the best flowers when supplied with low-phosphorus fertilizer. Spring and autumn is the optimum time for fertilization. Like other garden plants, bottle brushes are also benefited from mulching as it aids in retaining soil moisture and decreases weed growth.These trees need to be lightly pruned to remain in shape. The "light pruning" means pruning into the new season's wood. It does not mean to cut into the interior of the plant where no or less foliage is found. There are two types of light-pruning.

Tip Pruning: As the name suggests, only the tip of the shoot system is pruned. The new flowers form at the end of this growth. Therefore, tip pruning is very important and must be done on time.

Pruning Just Behind the Flowers: As the flowers are finishing, probably the preferred option is to shed off the flowers. This is done before winter so that any new growth is saved from potential damage by frost.

Plant-parasitic root-knot nematodes are a threat to bottle brush trees. These pests can build up large populations on their roots, and can even cause a decline in the population of bottle brush trees. There is hardly anything a homeowner can do to treat a bottle brush tree that has been invaded by nematodes. It is observed that if the bottle brush trees are properly pruned, irrigated, and provided with nutrition, they become less susceptible to nematode attack. You cannot see nematodes with the naked eye, but you can detect their presence if the bottle brush tree roots are swollen. The nematodes can invade surrounding trees and plants in your garden. The best way to protect your garden from further nematode attack is to cut down and remove the tree itself and plant a new, nematode-resistant tree in its place.

The presence of bottle brush trees make the surroundings calm, serene and relaxing. Though they require little care, they are always there to please you with their charming appearance. Have one in your garden to have their freshness and purity around you.