One

The prostrate One-Sided Bottlebrush (Melaleuca quadrifida, still widely sold as Calothamnus quadrifidus) is a Western Australian native that solves the problem of a hot dry bank nothing else will hold. It stays low at around 60cm tall while spreading to about 2m across, and the deep red flowers are pushed out along one side of each stem.

Why you'll love it

• Wide and low, not tall and leggy. Roughly 60cm high by 2m across, so a few plants cover a lot of difficult ground.
• Red flowers that birds actually use. The one sided clusters are full of nectar and sit at a height honeyeaters work easily.
• Built for neglect. Drought tolerant, salt tolerant, frost hardy and content in poor sandy or gravelly soil once established.
• Fine grey green foliage. The needle like leaves read well against rock, gravel and rendered walls.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 1.5m apart for a spreading groundcover. At that spacing the plants meet and knit within two to three seasons without piling up on each other, and the shaded soil underneath keeps weeds down.

Banks, slopes and retaining walls. This is where it earns its keep. Massed at 1.5m centres across a slope, the spreading branches hold mulch and soil through heavy rain, and plants set along a wall cascade over the edge.

Rockeries and coastal gardens. Sharp drainage between rocks suits it exactly, and salt laden wind does not bother it.

Growing One-Sided Bottlebrush in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun only. Even light shade thins the growth and cuts flowering badly. It suits warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi-arid gardens and takes frost once established. Be honest about the limits: this is a dry climate plant, and wet summers in the humid subtropics or tropics rot the crown.

Soil. Sharp drainage is the one condition it will not compromise on. Sand, gravel and thin poor soils are ideal. On clay, build a raised mound at least 300mm high with coarse grit through it.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer only, then step away. Established plants need no irrigation in most seasons. Use a low phosphorus native fertiliser once in early spring if growth looks pale.

Pruning. Tip prune lightly after flowering to keep the plant dense. It reshoots from older wood better than most dry country natives, so a tired plant can be cut back by a third.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is grown as tube stock only, so every plant arrives young: a single small plant 10 to 15cm tall in a slim pot. That suits the way it is used, since covering a bank takes numbers, and tube stock of dry country natives roots down deeper.

Tubes travel well because there is little top growth to damage. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee. Expect little visible growth for three months, then real spreading through the second summer.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the wider melaleuca range.
• Compare plants for retaining walls and slopes.
• See more in our groundcover collection.
• Read about other native plants with red flowers.

Common questions

How many do I need to cover a bank?

Plant 1.5m apart in a staggered grid, which works out to roughly four or five plants for every ten square metres. They close over in two to three seasons on a well drained site.

Will it grow in clay?

Only if you raise it. Build a mound at least 300mm high with coarse grit or gravel through the soil and plant into that. On flat undrained clay it will not last a wet summer.

Which birds does it attract?

Honeyeaters and small nectar feeding birds, drawn by the red flowers. The low tangled growth also gives small birds shelter, which taller open shrubs do not.