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Plant Profile: Bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus) ‘Austraflora Firebrand’

Bottlebrush FirebrandFirst produced in an Australian nursery in 1973, this semi-prostrate evergreen shrub gives an exotic look to the garden. The shiny olive-green leaves open from silvery-pink shoots, are lanceolate and about four inches. The crimson flowers open from silvery buds in late spring and early summer. They are carried in four to six inch long clusters that resemble bottlebrushes due to their long and plentiful stamens. The specific name, citrinus, comes from the lemony scented oil produced by glands on the leaves.

Type: Evergreen flowering shrub

Outstanding Feature: Flowers

Form: Rounded, sprawling

Growth Rate: Moderate

Bloom: Crimson flowers borne in clusters 4-6” long in late spring to early summer

Size: 18” H x 90” W

Light: Full sun

Soil: Fertile, moist, well-drained, neutral to acid

Hardiness: Zones 9-11

Care: Prune to maintain shape

Pests and Diseases: None of significance

Propagation: Simi-ripe cuttings in late summer; seed.

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