Callistemon sieberi

River Bottlebrush

Open to dense weeping shrub with fissured bark on older plants.

SynonymCallistemon paludosus, Melaleuca paludicola
FamilyMyrtaceae
StoreyMiddle storey
Size3-10 m x 2-6 m
Plant groupingShrubs 1.5-10 m
LeavesStiff narrow leaves with sharp point on end, 3-5 cm x 2-5 mm. New growth silvery with silky hairs.
Flower colourCream, pink
Flowering timeNovember to March
FlowersCream, occasionally pink, bottlebrush flowers in spikes to 5 cm long along branchlets.
Bird attractingGeneral - food and habitat
Butterfly attractingNectar for butterflies
Frog habitatNo
Growing conditionsWet to moist conditions, growing along river banks. Clay soils. Frost tolerant. Full sun or part shade.
Garden useScreening, weeping over pond areas. Tolerates dry conditions once established. Grow in poorly drained sites. Pruning beneficial.
Commercially availableAustralian plant & indigenous nurseries
Conservation statusSignificant within the Shire. Known from very few local sites. More common outside the Shire boundary.
Aboriginal Use Food - honey
Related speciesSome states recognise that all callistemons are now Melaleuca. In Victoria they are still recognised as Callistemon.