Callistemon salignus Perth Pink - Bottlebrush

Callistemon x salignus or Perth Pink Bottlebrush is an evergreen shrub that is extremely decorative due to the abundance and intense pink colour of its flowers in bottlebrush spikes. This variety also has a more upright habit than its parent, Callistemon salignus, and denser foliage with interesting patterns. In spring, attention is drawn to its pink and silky young shoots. In very mild climates, and in non-calcareous soil, this large callistemon will become a focal point in the garden. Elsewhere, it can be grown in a large pot and overwintered indoors.

The Perth Pink Bottlebrush is also marketed under the names Callistemon pearsonii 'Perth Pink' and Callistemon citrinus 'Perth Pink'. It is a shrub of the myrtle family whose ancestors come from Australia. Generally, callistemon plants grow naturally in regions with a mild oceanic climate, but also in intermittently dry areas, usually on mineral-poor, leached, and rather acidic soil.

This Perth Pink variety forms a ramified bush, reaching up to 4 m (13 ft 1 in) in height and 3 m (9 ft 10 in) in width in optimal conditions when planted in the ground. If grown in a pot or regularly pruned, its dimensions will be more modest. This shrub has flexible, slightly trailing branches and long, slender aromatic leaves arranged alternately. Their colour varies from green-blue to grey-green. The juvenile foliage is a pretty pink-red. The flowers, which are honey-producing and nectar-bearing, appear in June, in large numbers. In favourable climates, and with the removal of faded flowers, a second flowering can occur in October. The flowers consist of long stamens of a very bright pink colour. They are grouped in spikes of 4 to 10, resembling bottlebrushes up to 10 cm (3.9 in) long, at the ends of the branches. After pollination, woody capsules form, embedded in the bark, containing seeds that will take one to two years to ripen. This Perth Pink Callistemon is hardy down to a minimum of -4/-5 °C (24.8/23 °F).

The Perth Pink Callistemon prefers humus-rich and sandy soils that remain moist, although it can withstand occasional droughts. It is a beautiful plant for a garden protected from severe frost. It tolerates salt spray well, making it a very attractive shrub for mixed hedges (of modest size) in coastal gardens. It can be planted as a specimen or in mass plantings, combined with Grevilleas, Leptospermums, Escallonias, Atriplex halimus, etc. It can also be used in the creation of a mixed evergreen hedge, alongside myrtles, evergreen ceanothus, feijoas, rose laurels, and other strawberry trees. In regions with cold winters, the plant should be grown in a pot and protected from frost throughout the winter.