Callistemon Blooming red flower close up with green foliage in the background

Callistemon Kings Park Special Bottlebrush (9 Top Questions Answered!)

Kings Park Special Bottlebrush is an Australian Native plant. It is part of the Myrtaceae family. It grows well in most parts of Australia and is widely recognised for the shape of its flowers which resemble a brush used to clean bottles.

Have you ever taken a walk and noticed stunning red cylinder shaped callistemon flowers? Heard the buzz of happy bees feasting on bottlebrush nectar or admired an evergreen hedge?

These are all wonderful traits of the Callistemon Kings Park Special Bottlebrush. Kings Park Special is a hardy plant and versatile in that it can be used for hedging or let to grow as a tree to about 4m in height. 

There are many different varieties of Callistemon or bottle brush. We will touch on a few in this article however we’re really fond of the Kings Park Special and have taken a deep dive into its characteristics for you.

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Callistemon kings park special bottlebrush blooming

What Is A Kings Park Special Bottlebrush?

Kings Park Special Bottlebrush is an Australian Native. Its scientific name is Callistemon and its cultivar is Kings Park Special. 

There are many other varieties however the Kings Park special is well known for its bright red flowers and abundance of nectar. Nectar from the Kings Park Special is beneficial to many nectar loving birds, insects and of course bee’s.

Kings Park Special Bottlebrush can be pruned to maintain a hedge shape however if left will grow to approximately 3-4m high and 3-4m wide.

Where To Grow A Kings Park Special Bottlebrush

Kings Park Special Bottlebrush can be grown in most places in Australia. They can be grown in the following soil types

  • Clay
  • Sandy
  • Loamy
  • Clay Loamy
  • Sandy Loamy
  • Poor Soil

And the following climates

  • Cool
  • Cool Temperate
  • Mediterranean
  • Warm Temperate
  • Tropical

They are drought resilient and also frost tolerant. Overall they are a really hardy plant suitable to grow in most Australian backyards or verges.

Bottlebrush Bloom on bright red background

Is Kings Park Special A Dwarf Bottlebrush?

No, Kings Park Bottlebrush is not a dwarf bottlebrush variety. Kings Park Special can be pruned and maintained to keep a neat shape or a hedge structure. 

However, if left to grow on its own it will generally be a small tree or large shrub and grow to about 3-4m in height and 3-4m in width.

If you are particularly looking for a dwarf bottlebrush, we love ‘Little John’ and ‘Captain Cook’. These are small shrub varieties that grow to about 1.5m. More on those soon… Be sure to sign up to our mailing list so you don’t miss any updates!

Can I Hedge Kings Park Special Bottlebrush?

Yes you can, Kings Park Bottlebrush is suitable for hedging. In fact we’ve grown it as a hedge along our back boundary and it’s flourishing. It can handle a hard prune after flowering to keep it neat and compact and prevent legginess and gaps between branches.

You can do a hard prune once or twice a year to help maintain a uniform height and width in your Callistemon Hedge. Do this after flowering so you aren’t interrupting the flow of nectar to bees, insects and nectar eating birds.

Huge bottlebrush tree just starting to bloom with red flower display

Should I Prune Bottlebrush?

You don’t have to prune your bottle brush. If you do not prune your Kings Park special bottlebrush it will grow to about 3-4 in height and similar in width. It can become a bit open and straggly if left without pruning. 

If you wish to use it as a hedge or screening plant then regular pruning after flowering is a good idea. This will keep your bottlebrush tight and compact, increasing the privacy it will offer.

To prune your bottlebrush effectively consider the following

  • Prune when flowers are fading and finishing so as not to interrupt your floral display or nectar supply.
  • Prune at a node not too far from the tips (if you’re a regular pruner this is fine).
  • If your shrub is straggly or open a hard prune is recommended.
  • Not suitable for topiary pruning but can easily be hedged.
  • If pruning for health you can select individual diseased branches and remove.
  • You can remove forking or crossing branches by pruning if needed.

Why Is My Bottlebrush Dying?

All varieties of Bottle Brush are hardy plants suitable for Australian climates and soils. Generally a bottle brush has a lifespan of up to 40 years.  If your bottlebrush is dying, consider the following possibilities:

  • Root rot, this may occur if you’ve planted into very wet soil. (You may notice it turning brown if this is the case)
  • Iron deficiency will show itself in yellowing leaves and can be corrected before your bottlebrush dies by adding an iron sulfate to your soil.
  • Failed transplant. If your bottlebrush turns its heels up and dies after transplanting it could have significant damage to its roots or sufferent root shock if it’s been transplanted to a very different soil type and conditions. 
Kings Park Special Callistemon blooms hanging down from the tree

How Many Times A Year Does Bottlebrush Bloom?

Once or twice, mostly in spring but sometimes it will also flower in Autumn. 

The flowers can last as a superb, vibrant display for around 8 weeks with new flowers blooming regularly. You’ll notice the flowers start to fade as the weather warms up towards the summer months. 

As they fade you can use this opportunity to consider pruning as you probably just read above!

Large bowl of collected bottlebrush flowers for making nectar

Where To Buy A Bottlebrush Plant

You can find varieties of Callistemon or Bottlebrush at your local nurseries or even places like Mitre 10 or Bunnings. However we are big believers in supporting local so here’s some of our top recommendations in Australian communities.

NSW 

Shop: Sydney Wildflower Nursery

Address: 9 Veno Street, Heathcote, NSW, 2233

Phone: + 61 295 48 2818

VIC

Shop: Kurunga Native Nursery

Address: 118 York Road, Mount Evelyn, VIC, 3796

Phone: + 61 3 9760 8100

QLD

Shop: Dalys Native Plants

Address: 57 Weeden Street West, Mansfield, QLD, 4122

Phone: + 61 7 3349 0807

ACT

Shop: Cool Country Natives

Address: 5A Baltena Road, Pialligo, ACT, 2609

Phone: + 61 2 6257 6666

TAS

Shop: Redbreast Plants

Address: 242 Robin Hill Road, Flowerdale, TAS, 7325

Phone: + 61 3 6267 2871

NT

Shop: Territory Native Plants

Address: 1245 Pensinsula Road, Berry Springs, NT, 0838

Phone: + 61 4 29 095 733

SA

Shop: Virginia Nursery

Address: 99 Gawler Road, Virginia, SA, 5120

Phone: + 61 8 8307 6800

WA

Shop: Zanthorrea Nursery

Address: 155 Watsonia Road, Maidavale, WA, 6057

Phone: + 61 8 9454 6260

  1. How To Make Bush Tucker Bottlebrush Nectar
Bottlebrush flowers and nectar tea

This deserves a post of its own…

It’s easy and delicious to make bottlebrush nectar. Aboriginal people used bottlebrush nectar for a sweet drink with natural health benefits. The health benefits are now widely recognised. 

Bottlebrush nectar is beneficial in combating urinary tract problems as it is a diuretic. It has also been reported to help with excessive menstruation and can be used as a natural energy drink.

It also smells exceptional! So can be enjoyed as an essential oil or in other home made products like candles.

For our simple step by step guide to making your own bottlebrush nectar see this post.

So, there you have it folks. 

Kings Park Special Bottlebrush is a wonderful addition to any garden. It is commonly found in most parts of Australia but is also popular overseas. 

It is a native Australian plant which has the scientific name of Callistemon and is part of the Myrtaceae family. 

Kings Park Special Bottlebrush can be left to grow as a large shrub / small tree or it can be trained to keep a tight shape suitable for hedging or screening trees. 

Bottlebrush are hardy plants and suitable for most Australian climates and soil types so it’s great for beginners to gardening or those who wish to showcase native australian plants.

So, Let’s Get Digging!