Callistemon Viminalis 'Harkness'
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Harkness Bottlebrush
Botanical Name: Callistemon viminalis ‘Harkness’ (syn. Melaleuca viminalis ‘Harkness’)
Family: Myrtaceae
Origin: Australia (cultivar section)
Plant Type: Evergreen shrub / small weeping tree
Overview
A classic weeping bottlebrush with pendulous branches and fresh green foliage that often flushes bronze on new growth. Bears masses of crimson-red brushes in spring, with spot blooms into summer–autumn in warm spells. Great as a screen, hedge or feature tree in South Australian gardens—tough, showy and bird-attracting.
Key Features
- Mature Size: 3–5 m H × 2–4 m W (smaller with pruning)
- Growth Rate: 30-60 cm per year under good conditions
- Foliage: Narrow mid-green leaves; bronze/copper new growth
- Flowers: Crimson-red bottlebrush spikes (spring; repeats in warm seasons)
- Seasonal Interest: Spectacular spring display + repeat colour in warm months
- Wildlife Value: Attracts honeyeaters, native bees and other pollinators
- Tolerance: Drought-tolerant (once established), heat-tolerant, wind-tolerant, second-line coastal-tolerant; light frost (protect from hard frost)
- Planting Density: Hedge/screen: 1 per metre (down to 0.7 m for very tight screens); Specimen/feature: 1.5–3 m apart; can be limbed up for a clear trunk
- Pet Friendly: Non-toxic to cats & dogs
Where It Works Best
- Sunlight: Full sun to part shade (best bloom in sun)
- Soil: Well-drained loam, sandy loam or clay loam (mound on heavy sites)
- Water Needs: Establishment: 2 deep soaks/week for 8–12 weeks. Established: deep soak every 10–14 days in summer (weekly in heatwaves); minimal in winter
- Maintenance: Light prune after flowering to maintain density/weeping shape; mulch; feed in early spring with low-P native fertiliser
- Lifespan: 15-25+ years
- Climate Zones: Temperate & Mediterranean SA, including coastal areas
- Soil pH: Acidic to neutral, tolerates slightly alkaline
Landscape & Design Ideas
- Privacy hedge/screen with a soft weeping look
- Feature near entries/paths for flowers and birds
- Street-scale small tree where height is needed without bulk
Why You Will Love It
The graceful weeping habit plus crimson brushes make a dramatic, easy-care statement—perfect for colourful hedging and resilient screening in South Australia.