Callistemon citrinus Albus - Bottlebrush

Callistemon citrinus 'Albus' is a beautiful variety of bottlebrush with a spreading and low habit, and dazzling summer flowering in creamy white bottlebrushes. Its evergreen foliage, of medium green colour and particularly tough, releases a scent that curiously resembles that of its cousin, the lemon-scented Eucalyptus, from the myrtle family. In this variety, the young shoots are delicately tinged with red. Its modest size for the genus, attractive habit, year-round foliage, and long flowering make it an excellent terrace plant in any region. It shines in the center of an exotic bed in mild climates.

Callistemon citrinus is an evergreen shrub from the myrtle family, a cousin of myrtles and Leptospermum, native to Australia like them. Most Callistemons are riverside plants that appreciate fresh, well-drained soils, without excess limestone, and occasionally dry conditions, as well as generous and occasional watering to support their flowering. Its species name, citrinus, refers to the distinctive scent of its foliage.

The cultivar 'Albus', is sometimes sold under the name 'White Anzac'. It has a more compact and spreading habit, rarely exceeding 1m (3ft 4in) in height and 2m (6ft 7in) in spread. It is a shrub for mild climates, with brittle wood, forming a rounded bush with slightly spreading branches. Its growth is rather fast. Its linear and narrow foliage is divided into leaflets that are 5cm (2in) long and 1cm (0.4in) wide. They are tinted salmon-red when they emerge, then become light green and finally dark green. The young leaves produced in late summer retain their reddish-orange colour throughout the winter. Its inflorescences appear at the tips of the branches, just above the young leaves. They are composed of very long white stamens, which turn cream-coloured over time, and are gathered in cylindrical spikes. These inflorescences are 5cm (2in) wide and 10 to 15cm (3.9 to 5.9in) long, and slightly droop. The terminal bud repeatedly develops new leaves, then new bottlebrushes, while the old inflorescence produces small, very hard fruits shaped like cups, embedded in the bark. The flowering can occur from June to August-September in moist soil and warm climate, especially in late summer. It is also a honey-bearing and nectar-bearing plant that attracts many pollinating insects to the garden.

Hardy to around -7°C/-8°C (17.6 °F), Callistemon 'Albus' tolerates summer drought once well established, but appreciates water in dry climates. In a greenhouse or conservatory, it will create an extremely decorative quartet with an orange tree, a Tibouchina, or a Mimosa, evoking landscapes with exotic charm and scents. On the Mediterranean coast or in a warm Atlantic climate, it can be used as a standalone plant - it deserves it - in the centre of a bed, or as an informal hedge, combined with Grevillea, Phormium, Caesalpinia gillesii, Leptospermum, Melaleuca. It can also be planted in an evergreen hedge, accompanied by a shrubby Ceanothus ('Italian Skies', 'Concha', 'Puget Blue', 'Skylark'...), a spring-flowering broom, or Oleanders (Nerium oleander 'Soleil Levant' or 'Provence'). Its good salt tolerance allows for coastal exposure, facing wind and sea spray.