Bottlebrush Kings Park Special

Sun

Full sun gives the best flowering; tolerates light partial shade.

Water

Water regularly while establishing. Once established, tolerates dry spells, but flowers and grows better with occasional deep watering during prolonged drought.

Soil

Well-drained soil, preferably slightly acidic to neutral. Tolerates several soil textures, including clay where drainage is adequate; avoid persistently waterlogged ground.

Height

13-20 ft (4-6 m)

Spread

10-13 ft (3-4 m)

Flowers

Bright red bottlebrush-shaped flower spikes, mainly in spring and early summer, sometimes repeating into autumn.

Foliage

Evergreen. Narrow, leathery green leaves on dense, arching branches; young growth may be bronze-tinted.

Growth

Fast in warm conditions with adequate moisture.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Hard

Toughness

Needs looking after

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   2 ft (0.6 m)

2. After 1 year

   6 ft (2 m)

3. After 2 years

   11 ft (3.3 m)

4. After 3 years

   15 ft (4.7 m)

5. After 5 years

   16 ft (5 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Fast

• Water deeply through the first one or two growing seasons, allowing the soil surface to dry between waterings.
• Spread 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch over the root area, keeping it clear of the trunk.
• If growth is weak, apply a modest amount of low-phosphorus fertiliser in spring; avoid heavy feeding.
• Plant in a sunny position sheltered from cold, drying winds.
• In cold regions, grow in a large container and move it into bright, frost-free shelter before winter.

Pruning. Trim lightly just after the main flowering flush, cutting spent flower spikes back to leafy growth without removing all the new shoots. Remove dead or crossing branches and gradually lift lower branches if training it as a small tree.

Spring

Plant once damaging frosts have passed, or return overwintered containers outdoors after acclimatising them.

Spring

Renew mulch and feed lightly with a low-phosphorus fertiliser only if needed.

Late spring to summer

After the main flower display, lightly trim spent spikes and shape overlong branches.

Summer

Deep-water young plants and container-grown specimens during dry weather.

Late summer

Take semi-ripe cuttings from healthy, non-flowering shoots.

Autumn

Move containers under bright, frost-free cover where winters are too cold; reduce watering as growth slows.

Winter

Check sheltered plants occasionally and water sparingly so the root ball does not dry out completely.

• Use as an informal evergreen screen along a sunny boundary, allowing room for its mature width.
• Train as a small multi-stemmed tree to provide light shade and a red flowering canopy.
• Combine with grevilleas, westringias and lomandras in an Australian-native planting.
• Use as a flowering focal point in a sheltered coastal garden away from the strongest salt-laden winds.

Garden styles it suits: Australian native, Coastal, Mediterranean, Wildlife garden, Pollinator garden and Low-maintenance.

Plant it with: Coastal rosemary, Lomandra, Kangaroo paw, Grevillea, Flax lily and Lavender.

Wildlife: The nectar-rich flowers attract bees and nectar-feeding birds, including honeyeaters in Australia. Dense mature branches can provide shelter for small birds.

• Frost damage: protect young plants during brief cold spells and overwinter containers under cover; wait until spring growth starts before removing damaged wood.
• Root rot in wet soil: improve drainage before planting and avoid frequent watering of already damp ground.
• Scale insects and sooty mould: inspect stems and leaf undersides, control ants that tend the scale, and treat with a suitable horticultural oil according to its label.
• Bottlebrush sawfly larvae, especially in Australia: look for groups of larvae stripping leaves and remove small infestations by hand while wearing gloves.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. Cultivar-specific information is limited; leaves, flowers and woody seed capsules are not food, and eating plant material may cause stomach upset.

• Crimson bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus)

  Also has red flower spikes, but its crushed leaves usually have a noticeable lemon scent; 'Kings Park Special' is generally more vigorous and arching.

• Weeping bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis)

  Typically develops a more strongly weeping, tree-like outline, with long hanging branchlets; 'Kings Park Special' usually forms a denser, broader shrub unless trained.

• Little John bottlebrush (Callistemon 'Little John')

  A compact dwarf with short, crowded, blue-green leaves and a rounded habit, rather than the tall, vigorous growth of 'Kings Park Special'.

Callistemon comes from Greek words meaning beautiful stamens, referring to the showy flower filaments, while 'Kings Park Special' refers to Kings Park in Perth, Western Australia, where the cultivar originated.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in summer and root them in a free-draining propagation mix with gentle warmth and humidity. Seed does not reliably reproduce this named cultivar.

Accepted botanical name

Callistemon

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.