Callistemon viminalis
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| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Distribution: | North-eastern New South Wales and eastern Queensland |
| Common Name: | Weeping bottlebrush |
| Derivation of Name: | Callistemon...from Greek kalos; beautiful and stemon; stamens viminalis...from Latin, viminalis, with long, flexible twigs. |
| Conservation Status: | Not considered to be at risk in the wild. |
General Description:
Callistemon viminalis is probably the most widely cultivated of all bottlebrushes - only C.citrinus would challenge that status. The species and its cultivars are widely planted in Australia and overseas.
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| Callistemon viminalis Photo: Brian Walters |
The weeping bottlebrush is typically a small tree with pendulous foliage although some forms are more pendulous than others. It reaches a height of about 10 metres in its natural habitat but is usually smaller in cultivation, particularly in temperate areas where it is an attractive and reliable small tree for street planting.
The brushes are usually about 70 mm long by 50 mm diameter, bright red in colour and are usually seen in spring and sometimes in autumn.
In the wild, C.viminalis is found along watercourses and it performs best in cultivation if a reliable water supply is available. Once established, however, it is able to tolerate extended dry periods. The plant performs best in medium to heavy soils and can tolerate less than perfect drainage but may be damaged by moderate to heavy frost. It responds to annual fertilising after flowering. Although the plant will respond to pruning, this can have the effect of destroying the weeping habit.
There are a number of popular cultivars of C.viminalis. These include:- Captain Cook - medium shrub to about 2 metres; bright red brushes
- Dawson River Weeper - spreading small tree to 5 metres; bright red brushes, yellow tipped
- Hannah Ray - small, weeping tree to about 4 metres high; bright red brushes
- "Rose Opal" - medium shrub to about 2 metres; red brushes, turning rose-coloured
Propagation of C.viminalis is easy from both seed and cuttings. Named cultivars must be propagated from cuttings due to genetic variation that occurs in seedlings.
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