Narrow-leaved bottlebrush
The long stamens make the inflorescence look like a red bottlebrush
Narrow-leaf bottlebrush is one of a total of approx. 40 species of bottlebrush, all native to Australia.
It's no wonder that the plant got the English name “bottlebrush” because it is exactly what the cylindrical inflorescence looks like. The inflorescence consists of many flowers that are sitting closely together. The petals are small and green, so what you can see are the long red stamens, all of which have a small yellow anther at the tip. The strong red colour attracts both birds and bees that pollinate in the flowers in nature.
The ripe fruits remain on the branches, often unopened for several years. A forest fire can cause the fruits to open and spread the many small seeds. Fire can provide good conditions for seed germination, and bottlebrush is, like eucalyptus, an example of plants adapted to areas with frequent forest fires.
Fact box:
- Greenhouse location: Mediteranian house
- Danish name: Smalbladet flaskerenser
- Latin name: Melaleuca linearis
- Family: Myrtle family / Myrtaceae
- Natural habitat: Australia, in the states New South Wales and Queensland