Scientific Name : Callistemon rigidus R. Br.
Common Name : Stiff Bottle-brush, Rigid Bottle-brush
Chinese Name : 紅千層, 瓶子刷樹, 紅瓶子刷樹
Family : MYRTACEAE
Local distribution status : Exotic species
| Origins | Native to New South Wales and Queensland. It is now broadly cultivated in Guangdong and Guangxi. |
|---|---|
| Meanings of name | The generic name is a blend of Calli and stemon, the Greek words that refer to ‘beautiful’ and ‘stamen’, together alluding to its stamens as the most glamorous part of the flowers. Since the tree shows firm and erect branches and bottlebrush like flowers, it is also named as ‘Stiff Bottle-brush’. |
| Vitality | Stiff Bottle-brush is moderately tolerant to drought and shade. It prefers slightly acidic, moist and well-drained soils. |
| Application |
By virtue of flamboyant scarlet flowers, the tree is considered as a gorgeous ornamental component for parks and gardens. In summer, the inflorescences protrude from the apex of branchlets, blanket the crown in endless blooms, rain down and bury the ground. The essential oil can be extracted from its leaves and processed into cosmetics, soaps and detergents. The branches and leaves can also be used for traditional Chinese medicines, functionally effective to relieve phlegm and swelling, and attenuate common cold, rheumatic arthralgia and eczema. |
| Stiff Bottle-brush and Callistemon viminalis (Tall Bottle-brush) |
Both of the trees are the members of Callistemon. In respect of their indistinguishable appearances, Stiff Bottle-brush is always regarded as a visual alternative of Tall Bottle-brush for parks. Tree form is rather an unmistakably diagnosed key to distinguish the trees. As how it is named, Tall Bottle-brush is relatively taller, with an attainable height to 5 metres. Likewise, instead of standing stout, its flowers and branches are pendulous and gracefully hand down to the ground. |
| Growing habit | Small evergreen tree. |
|---|---|
| Height | To 5 m tall. |
| Stems | Bark coarse, brownish grey, peeling off in flakes. Branchlets angulate, covered with long silky hairs when young, glabrescent. |
| Leaves | Simple leaves alternate. Blade leathery, covered with dense oil glands, glabrescent, linear, apex acute, midvein elevated on both surfaces. |
| Flowers | Hermaphroditic. Spikes terminal, the rachis continues to grow after anthesis, calyx tube and rachis pubescent when young. Stamens many, long, filaments scarlet, anthers yellow. |
| Fruits | Capsules woody, semi-globose, apex truncate, valves 3, split when dehiscent, persistent. |
| Flowering period | June to August in Hong Kong. |
| Fruiting period | December to February in Hong Kong. |
Scientific name above is based on Hong Kong Herbarium website :
https://herbarium.gov.hk/en/hk-plant-database/plant-detail/index.html?pType=species&oID=6238
Scientific names from other databases
― Flora of China : Callistemon rigidus R. Br.
― GBIF : Callistemon rigidus R. Br.