Are you looking at your frost-bitten bottlebrush plants, wondering if they’ll grow back? Perhaps, you’re wondering whether bottlebrushes are a good option for a garden that experiences cold and frost?
Either way, this article answers the question, “will bottlebrush plants (also known as callistemons) come back after freezing?”
Will bottlebrush trees and shrubs come back after freezing?
The answer is, yes! Well, hopefully. Most callistemons are pretty hardy and will bounce back after a bit of frost damage. Simply prune the damage back before new growth occurs in spring, and you’ll be shocked at how good your plant looks.
Of course, all callistemons aren’t built the same. Some varieties are more cold and frost-tolerant than others.
Best Cold and Frost-Tolerant Callistemons
Better John™ Callistemon:
- Description: This Callistemon cultivar features blue-green toned mature foliage with silver-colored tones in new growth foliage due to a soft hairy texture. It flowers with small red blooms from mid to late spring.
- Growth Habit: Stays at a compact height.
- Size: Reaches 60cm – 2m high x 60 – 90cm wide.
- Planting Density: Recommended planting density is 3-5 plants per m² or 1.5-2 plants per linear metre.
- Position: Thrives in full sun to part shade conditions and suits sandy to well-drained soils. Tolerant of drought and cold temperatures.
- Where it Works: Suitable for QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC, TAS, SA & WA regions.
Fluro Burst™ Callistemon:
- Description: Fluro Burst™ Callistemon produces vibrant fluro pink bottlebrush flowers in spring, contrasting beautifully with dark green foliage. It is a semi-compact and low maintenance plant, requiring minimal pruning to retain its tidy form.
- Growth Habit: Semi-compact and easy to maintain, requiring little to no pruning.
- Size: Reaches 1m-1.5m high x 90cm-1.2m wide.
- Planting Density: Recommended planting density is 1-3 plants per m² or 1-2 plants per linear meter.
- Position: Thrives in full sun to part shade conditions and adapts well to most soil types. Exhibits good drought and frost tolerance once established.
- Where it Works: Suitable for NSW, VIC, SA, WA, and Sth QLD regions (further testing needed for Nth QLD & ACT).
Icy Burst™ Callistemon:
- Description: Icy Burst™ Callistemon is a naturally narrow-growing fine leaf plant with vibrant white bottlebrush flowers in spring. Its upright growth habit and compact height make it an excellent choice for narrow planting areas.
- Growth Habit: Naturally narrow growing with a compact height.
- Size: Reaches 1.3-1.5m high x 70-80cm wide.
- Planting Density: Recommended planting density is 1-3 plants per m² or 1-2 plants per linear meter.
- Position: Thrives in full sun to part shade conditions, adaptable to most soil types. Shows good drought and frost tolerance once established.
- Where it Works: Suitable for NSW, VIC, SA, WA, and Sth QLD regions (further testing needed for Nth QLD & ACT).
Sweet Burst™ Callistemon:
- Description: Sweet Burst™ Callistemon is a semi-compact fine leaf variety that produces an abundance of soft baby pink flowers in spring, making it an attractive feature plant in any garden or landscape. It is low maintenance and requires minimal pruning to maintain a neat form.
- Growth Habit: Semi-compact growth habit.
- Size: Reaches heights of 90cm-1.2m and widths of 90cm-1.2m.
- Planting Density: Recommended planting density is 1-3 plants per m² or 1-2 plants per linear meter.
- Position: Thrives in full sun to part shade conditions and adapts well to most soil types. Shows good drought and frost tolerance once established.
- Where it Works: Suitable for regions in NSW, VIC, SA, WA, and Sth QLD (more testing needed for Nth QLD & ACT).
Macarthur™ Callistemon:
- Description: Macarthur™ Callistemon combines traits from popular varieties like Little John and Captain Cook, offering a more compact growth habit and improved flower presentation. It features fresh green-toned foliage with very bushy and tidy growth. Pruning after flowering enhances its appearance.
- Growth Habit: Compact growth habit.
- Size: Reaches 1.8m high x 1.5m wide.
- Planting Density: Recommended planting density is 1-2 plants per m² or 1-1.5 plants per linear meter.
- Position: Thrives in full sun to part shade and tolerates various soil conditions, frost, and drought.
- Where it Works: Suitable for QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC, TAS, SA, and WA regions.
Conclusion
Now you know! Hopefully, your frozen bottlebrush tree, shrub or hedge should bounce back nicely once the weather warms up. Next time you’re expecting a heavy frost, cover your plants in fabric or move potted callistemons indoors temporarily to protect them.
If you’re sick of your plants freezing every year, consider pulling them out and replacing them with one of the cultivars discussed in this article.