Kings Park Special Bottlebrush

Kings Park Special Bottlebrush (Callistemon 'Kings Park Special') is the bottlebrush other bottlebrushes are measured against. It grows quickly into a dense screen about 4m tall and 3m wide, sometimes 5m in good conditions, with deep red brushes that keep honeyeaters working the garden. Its real talent is range: frost, drought, salt, poor soil and even boggy corners are all within its comfort zone.

Why you'll love it

• Red brushes the birds queue for. The nectar rich flowers pull in honeyeaters whenever the plant is in bloom.
• Tough on a scale few screens match. Frost hardy, drought tolerant once established, and one of the few screening natives that copes with wet feet.
• A fast, honest screen. Quick dense growth to about 4m gives privacy in a few seasons, or it clips lower as a neat hedge.
• Pet friendly and low maintenance. Not toxic to cats or dogs, and beyond an annual trim it looks after itself.
• Grows almost anywhere in the country. Subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate, arid and Mediterranean gardens all suit it.

Where it works best

Screening and hedging. Plant 1.5m apart in a single row for a dense screen. For a lower clipped hedge the same spacing holds, just trim more often.

Windbreaks. On exposed boundaries a staggered double row at 1.5m spacing filters wind and gives the vegie patch or shed real shelter.

Coastal gardens. Salt tolerance makes it a reliable choice within reach of sea spray, where many screening plants scorch.

Feature planting. A single specimen in flower earns its spot in any native bed.

Growing Kings Park Special Bottlebrush in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun brings the heaviest flowering; light shade thins it. It is at home from cool temperate gardens through the subtropics and into arid inland districts, and it is frost hardy. The wet tropics are the one climate where other choices do better.

Soil. Genuinely unfussy. Sand, clay, poor soil and spots that stay damp after rain are all workable, which is why it so often ends up in the difficult corner of the block.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then let it stand on its own. A native controlled release fertiliser in spring supports the flush of new growth and flowers.

Pruning. Trim just behind the spent brushes once flowering finishes to keep the plant dense and the next flush heavy. It also tolerates a hard cut if an old plant needs rebuilding.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow it in seven sizes. Tube stock and 140mm packs of 10 are the economical way to plant a long screen, 200mm packs of 6 and 250mm packs of 3 suit a mid length run, and the 300mm, 400mm and 45L plants arrive with real height for faster privacy. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost.

Plants are packed upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect settling for a fortnight, then steady growth in warm weather. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• All about callistemon, the bottlebrush guide
• Browse the full bottlebrush range
• Compare hedging and screening plants
• Wildfire Bottlebrush for a weeping habit

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

Space plants 1.5m apart in a single row. The canopies meet within a few seasons and the screen stays furnished to the ground if you trim after flowering.

Will it grow in the wet corner of the yard?

Usually, yes. It tolerates wet feet better than almost any other screening native, so the damp strip along a fence or below a downpipe is a genuine option rather than a gamble.

How do I keep it to 2m?

Trim twice a year, once behind the main flowering and once lightly in late summer. It holds at 2m to 2.5m without losing flowers, since the brushes form on new growth.

Is it safe for dogs and cats?

Yes. Bottlebrushes are considered pet friendly, and this one carries no known toxicity for cats or dogs, so it suits family backyards.