Scarlet Kunzea

Scarlet kunzea (Kunzea baxteri) is a Western Australian shrub that flowers like a bottlebrush but keeps a far better shape. It grows to about 3m tall and 2.5m wide, with fine grey-green foliage and bright red brush flowers tipped in gold through winter and spring. Honeyeaters and native bees work it constantly, and it takes salt, drought, heat and poor soil without complaint.

Why you'll love it

• Red flowers when little else is out. The main flush runs through winter and into spring, filling the gap most gardens have at that time of year.
• It brings in birds and bees. Nectar rich brushes attract honeyeaters, native bees and butterflies, which makes it a genuine habitat plant.
• Useful screening size. At 3m by 2.5m it screens a fence line or a shed without becoming a tree you have to manage.
• Built for hard sites. Coastal salt, drought, reflected heat and thin poor soil are all within its normal range.

Where it works best

Informal screening. Plant 1.5m apart for a screen that closes over without being clipped. It is not a formal hedge plant, and trying to shear it flat costs you most of the flowering.

Windbreaks and coastal gardens. Salt tolerance and fine, flexible foliage suit it to exposed coastal blocks and windy rural boundaries. A staggered double row at 1.5m spacing filters wind rather than trying to stop it.

Growing scarlet kunzea in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, and plenty of it. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid gardens, and thrives in Perth, Adelaide and inland districts where watering is restricted. It takes light frost only, so hard frosting tablelands are marginal, and it resents humid summer wet, which rules out the wet tropics.

Soil. Sharp drainage is the single most important factor, more than sun or feeding. Sandy and gravelly soils are ideal. On clay, plant on a mound 300mm above grade and mulch with gravel rather than heavy compost.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer to establish, then it should need almost nothing outside extended drought. Feed once in early spring with a low phosphorus native fertiliser, or skip it entirely on poor soil.

Pruning. Prune immediately after flowering, taking the spent brushes and about a third of the new growth. That single annual trim keeps it dense rather than woody. Like most of the myrtle family it is reluctant to reshoot from bare wood, so never cut into leafless stems.

What to expect when it arrives

Scarlet kunzea is grown in two sizes: single tubes, and 140mm plants in packs of ten. Tube stock is a young single stem around 15 to 20cm high, and the practical choice for a long boundary run. The 140mm packs give you ten branching plants, enough for a 15m informal screen at 1.5m spacing.

Fine foliage travels well, so plants arrive in good condition. Plant into free draining ground and mulch with gravel kept clear of the stem. Expect the first proper flowering flush in the second year. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Native plants with red flowers
• Browse Australian native shrubs
• Compare plants used for windbreaks
• Plants that support bees and butterflies

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

One and a half metres apart in a single row for an informal screen. For a windbreak, use two staggered rows at the same spacing so the planting filters wind instead of blocking it.

Will it grow on the wet subtropical coast?

It is marginal there. This species comes from a dry Mediterranean climate and dislikes humid, wet summers, which encourage root rot. In a humid area, plant on a high mound in the sunniest, best drained position you have.

How is it different from a bottlebrush?

The flowers look similar, but kunzea holds a denser, arching shape with finer foliage and wants sharper drainage. Bottlebrush is the better choice for wet or heavy soil.