Melaleuca glauca, a bottle rinse with grey-green leaves
Melaleuca glauca
- Exposure
- Sun
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 9a (-6.7°C ≤ T° < -3.9°C)
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Family
- Myrtaceae
- Genus
- Bottle rinser Melaleuca
- Species
- Melaleuca glauca
Other names:Callistemon glaucus, Callistemon speciosus var. glaucus, Metrosideros glauca
Also known as bottlebrush, Callistemon glaucus, or Callistemon speciosus, Melaleuca glauca is native to Australia. Although it is less well-known than its cousins, bottle Rinse (Melaleuca citrina) and melaleuca linearis, this shrub boasts the same unique and colorful blooms.
How can you identify Melaleuca glauca?
Melaleuca glauca is a bushy shrub that grows to an average height of three meters. Its branches form a naturally spreading crown.
The trunk and twigs are covered with hard, fibrous bark.
The evergreen leaves, which range in color from glaucous green to gray-green, are narrow, leathery, and elongated. They can measure up to thirteen centimeters long by two centimeters wide. The central and secondary veins are clearly defined. As with many bottlebrushes, the foliage gives off a lemony scent when crushed.
The flowers appear at the tips of the twigs and are grouped into cylindrical spikes resembling a bottle brush. Each flower is distinguished by its red stamens with yellow anthers.
After flowering, the withered inflorescences give way to very hard, woody capsules. These fruits are adapted to fire-prone environments: they open when exposed to heat, releasing tiny seeds that are then dispersed by the wind.
Is Melaleuca glauca toxic?
Melaleuca glauca is not a toxic plant. This variety is harmless to humans and animals, even if ingested. Some people even attribute medicinal properties to the bottlebrush tree.
Our care tips
Melaleuca glauca resistant to disease and drought. On the other hand, the plant fears the cold, especially when the soil is damp.
Watering
Water your Melaleuca glauca before the substrate dries on the surface. You can use rainwater or mains water.
Melaleuca glauca are water-hungry plants, especially in summer. Mulch the base to limit evaporation and reduce watering frequency.
Repotting
Get a perforated pot. You can place a bed of clay balls or gravel at the bottom to improve drainage.
Mix a few handfuls of sand with universal potting soil. Pour a layer of this mixture into your pot and plant your Melaleuca glauca. Add substrate and pack lightly.
Water to help roots take root and expel air bubbles.
Fertilization
You can stimulate the development of your plant during its growth phase, in spring and summer, with fertilizer.
Apply a liquid fertilizer for flowering plants to promote the appearance of flower buds.
Planting
Once the last spring frosts have passed, you can plant.
Find a sunny spot protected from the wind.
Dig a hole three times the size of the root ball. Meanwhile, soak your Melaleuca glauca to rehydrate it.
Add clay balls or gravel to your garden soil to improve drainage. Line the bottom of the hole with compost, followed by a layer of substrate. Plant your shrub in the center. The root ball should reach ground level. Fill in with your mixture and tamp down.
Water copiously to eliminate air bubbles and encourage rooting.
Taking cuttings
Cutting is carried out during the strong growth phase, generally in spring and early summer.
Get a pot with holes to suit the size of your seedlings. Line the bottom with clay balls or gravel to improve drainage.
Pour in a rich, light substrate, such as potting soil, and plant your cuttings. To help you, you can use a pencil to form a pilot hole.
Water to encourage rooting and eliminate air bubbles.
Disease / Threat
Information
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Exposure
- Sun
- Substrates
- Calcareous earthHumus soilSandy soil
- Planting methods
- Open groundIn potsIn tubs
- Tag
- Flowery
- Origin
- Australia
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 9a (-6.7°C ≤ T° < -3.9°C)
- Leaf colors
- Glaucous greenGreen-gray
- Flower colors
- RedYellow
- Fruit color
- Brown
Discover plants from the same family
Bottle rinse
Melaleuca citrina
Find out more
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
