Common Name : Bottlebrush Tree, Crimson Bottlebrush

A large shrub to small tree, up to about 7-8m tall, with a life span of slightly over a decade in its place of origin. It has brownish grey bark that becomes increasingly fissured with age, and has upright branches.Leaves are alternate, simple, lanceolate to elliptical, about 7 x 2cm long, and texture is smooth and leathery. Young leaves have a silky texture, and may be pinkish or red. Despite the specific epithet citrinus, the leaves are not very strongly scented and only emits a faint citrus fragrance when crushed. Distinctive red inflorescences, in the form of “brushes” (hence the common names), in which the “bristles” are actually stamens (see etymology). The apical buds continue to grow leafy sections, resulting in the branches to appear to alternate between leafy and floral sections. Small sessile woody capsules clustered around the stems. Each capsule contains numerous tiny seeds. It prefers well-drained, sandy loam soils with regular watering but can survive in poor soils with infrequent watering. Requires partial to full sun.