Callistemon citrinus ‘Mauve Mist’ is a beautiful Australian native bottlebrush known for its unique flower colour. It grows into a dense, medium-sized, evergreen shrub with a spreading habit, typically reaching between 2 and 4 metres in height and width. The new foliage often has a pink tint before maturing into narrow, mid-green leaves. Its striking feature is the profusion of soft mauve-pink, bottlebrush-shaped flower spikes that appear mainly throughout spring and summer. These nectar-rich blooms are highly attractive to native birds and beneficial insects, making it an excellent choice for wildlife gardens. ‘Mauve Mist’ is very hardy, tolerating a wide range of conditions including drought, frost, and coastal exposure once established.
Care Tips:
- Position: Prefers a position with full sun for the best flowering, though it will tolerate partial shade.
- Soil: Highly adaptable to most soil types, including clay, loam, and sandy soils, provided they are moist and well-draining. It can tolerate short periods of waterlogging.
- Watering: Water well until the plant is established. After that, it is quite drought-tolerant, but will perform best with occasional deep watering during extended dry periods.
- Pruning: Low-maintenance, but responds very well to pruning. Lightly prune behind the spent flowers (tip pruning) after the main flush to encourage dense, bushy growth and a second wave of blooms.
- Fertilising: Use a slow-release native plant fertiliser (low phosphorus) in spring to encourage healthy growth and flowering. Avoid heavy feeding with high-nitrogen fertilisers, which can reduce flowers.
- Usage: Excellent for hedging, screening, windbreaks, or as a striking feature plant.
