Weeping Bottlebrush (Callistemon Viminalis) 200 Seeds

The genus Callistemon has provided many fine horticultural specimens. They are generally noted for their flowers, adaptability and quick growth. The weeping bottlebrush Callistemon viminalis is a very fine example of the group.

Callistemon viminalis occurs naturally on the east coast of Australia from Cape York to north-east New South Wales. It is more common along watercourses on the coastal plains where it forms a shrub or small tree up to 8 m tall; larger specimens up to 18 m tall have also been recorded. It also extends to the tablelands and occasionally to the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range.
 

The leaves of C. viminalis are lanceolate 3-6 mm wide by 40-70 mm long but northern forms have a more elliptical-shaped leaf. The flowers are borne in spikes 40-150 mm long with prominent red stamens 15-25 mm long. Petals are greenish or pale coloured, tiny, inconspicuous and in some cases deciduous. Peak flowering time is late spring and it is common for the species to flower in spring and autumn or bear small numbers of flowers all year. Fruits are 5-6 mm in diameter and the seed is held for a few seasons. New growth emerges from the ends of the inflorescence and the young leaves have bronze-coloured hairs.