Callistemon citrinus, also known as Crimson Bottlebrush is a shrub

Shrub

A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...

 in the family Myrtaceae

Myrtaceae

The Myrtaceae or Myrtle family are a family of dicotyledon plants, placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, clove, guava, feijoa, allspice, and eucalyptus belong here. All species are woody, with essential oils, and flower parts in multiples of four or five...

. It is native to the states of Queensland

Queensland

Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...

, New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

 and Victoria

Victoria (Australia)

Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....

 in Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

, occurring in the vicinity of rocky streams and near-coastal swamps.

It grows to between 1 and 3 metres in height and has leaves

Leaf

A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....

 which are 3 to 7 cm long and 5 to 8 mm wide. The flower spikes are 6 to 10 cm in length and about 4 to 7 cm in diameter. The veins of the leaves are clearly visible on both sides. The stamen

Stamen

The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...

s are red, purpish-red or lilac with dark-coloured anthers.

Callistemon citrinus is the source of the chemical Leptospermone

Leptospermone

Leptospermone is a chemical produced by Callistemon citrinus , a shrub native to Australia. Allelopathic studies have led to the commercialization of the analogous herbicidal compound mesotrione. Leptospermone is also studied as an antibacterial.-History:Leptospermone was first identified in 1927...

, which is an ingredient of the herbicide Callisto by Syngenta.

Growing

C. citrinus can be grown outdoors in warm, dry climates, with a minimum temperature

Temperature

Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...

 of 7°C. They thrive in well-drained soils rich in organic matter, and direct sunlight. Indoors, it will grow well in normal room temperatures and low humidity. However, it requires more sunlight than most houseplants. Plants will benefit from being moved outdoors to a sunny area in summer..

Propagation

New plants can be grown by taking stem tip cuttings in spring or early summer. Cuttings can be rooted in a mix of peat moss and coarse sand, kept moist. Plants can also be sown by seed

Seed

A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...

in spring..

Cultivars

A number of cultivars have been selected including:

• C. citrinus 'Demesne Rowena'
• C. citrinus 'Firebrand'
• C. citrinus 'Splendens'
• C. citrinus 'White Anzac'