Dawson River Weeper Bottlebrush

Dawson River Weeper (Callistemon viminalis 'Dawson River Weeper') is the weeping bottlebrush to plant where a screen needs to look like a garden rather than a fence. It grows to about 5m tall and 3.5m wide, with fine foliage on branches that sweep almost to the ground, then covers itself in deep red brushes in spring and again in autumn. It is fast growing, and it copes with wet ground that kills most screening plants.

Why you'll love it

• The weeping habit does the work. Branches arch and hang rather than standing stiff, so a row softens a boundary instead of walling it off.
• Red brushes twice a year. The main flush comes in spring with a lighter repeat in autumn, and honeyeaters find it within days.
• It handles wet feet. Damp, poorly drained ground and seasonal wet spots suit it, which is rare in a plant this size.
• Fast, salt tolerant and safe around pets. Expect useful height inside two seasons, and no toxicity concern for cats or dogs.

Where it works best

Screening and privacy. Plant 2m apart for a dense screen. The weeping branches fill the gaps from about waist height up, so the row reads as solid well before the canopies actually touch.

Driveways and feature planting. Lifted to a clear trunk it makes an elegant small avenue tree at 4m spacing, and a single plant at a pond edge puts the habit and the reflection to work together.

Growing Dawson River Weeper in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the heaviest flowering. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens, and it is frost hardy once established, though young plants want shelter through their first winter in colder districts.

Soil. Genuinely unfussy. It takes heavy clay and damp ground that would rot a lilly pilly, and it is equally content in ordinary garden soil. Mulch 75mm deep, clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then taper off as it becomes drought tolerant. A low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring and again after flowering keeps growth strong.

Pruning. Trim straight after each flowering, before the seed capsules set. Cutting behind the spent brushes thickens the plant and brings on the next flush. It reshoots from old wood, so an overgrown plant can be cut back hard.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in nine sizes, from tube to 100L. The tube, 140mm, 200mm and 250mm plants are young and single stemmed, and they are the value choice for a long boundary: slower to start, but they catch the bigger sizes within a few seasons. The 300mm and 400mm pots are the middle ground, and the 25L, 45L and 100L plants arrive already branched.

Plants are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect new growth within four to six weeks in warm weather. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete callistemon care guide
• Browse the full bottlebrush range
• Compare screening plants from 4m to 8m
• Bird attracting plants for Australian gardens

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

Two metres apart in a single row. The weeping branches close the gaps quickly at that spacing, and tighter planting only makes the row harder to water and feed.

Can I keep it smaller than 5m?

Yes. Two trims a year, taken after each flowering, hold it at 3m without spoiling the weeping shape. It shoots readily from old wood, so hard corrective pruning also works.

Will it grow in a wet or boggy spot?

Yes, and that is one of its real strengths. It tolerates wet feet and seasonally damp ground, which makes it useful along drainage lines and in low corners where other screening plants fail.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

Yes. Bottlebrush is not toxic to cats or dogs, so it suits a boundary planting in a home with pets.