Melaleuca citrina
Common name
common red bottle brush, crimson bottle brush, lemon bottlebrush, honey myrtle
Synonyms
Callistemon citrinus
Family
Myrtaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Brief description
Erect much-branched shrub to 5 m or more. Flowers in dense red/crimson ‘bottlebrush’ heads. Crushed leaves lemon scented (hence the common name ‘lemon bottlebrush’)
Similar taxa
Melaleuca rigida has shorter, narrower more coriaceous leaves; its persistent capsules are more woody and dense than in M. citrina.
Flower colours
Red/Pink
Fruiting
Hard persistent capsules
Propagation technique
Seed
Threats
This taxon may be prone to Myrtle Rust (Austropuccinia psidii) is an invasive fungus which threatens myrtle species - learn more myrtlerust.org.nz
Year naturalised
1975
Origin
Australia
Reason for introduction
Ornamental. Very widely grown in NZ but few confirmed records of it self-establishing