Virginia Tech Dendrology

bottlebrush tree Myrtaceae Callistemon spp. R. Br. symbol: CALLI12
Leaf: Alternate or opposite, simple, evergreen, entire margin; narrow lanceolate; 1 to 3 inches long; dark green above, paler below.
Flower: Conspicuous flower clusters (2 to 4 inches long) along stem; petals are very small but long red stamens cause a "bottle brush" effect; appearing throughout the year.
Fruit: Small, short, persistent woody capsules in clusters along the stems, resembling small buttons.
Twig: Slender, grayish brown; covered densely in foliage particularly near branch tips.
Bark: Dark gray with flat-topped interlacing ridges.
Form: Most species are shrubby but some can make it to small tree status; often with drooping finer twigs; typically multiple trunks.

Additional Range Information: Callistemon spp. is planted in the USDA hardiness zones shown above and is not known to widely escape cultivaton. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database - Horticulture Information
All material 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information