Bottlebrushes as Garden Plants Bottlebrushes make excellent garden plants. Plants are all woody shrubs which range from 0.5 m to 4 m tall. The flowers can be spectacular and are irresistible to nectar-feeding birds and insects. Most species are frost tolerant. They grow well in a wide variety of soils, except those which are highly alkaline.
Plants grown in full sun produce the best flowers.
Plants can be lightly pruned after flowering to keep them in shape. A low-phosphorous fertiliser should be applied in spring and autumn. Mulching will help retain soil moisture and reduce weed growth. Many cultivars have been selected from natural variants and hybrids between species. Some of these are very good garden plants.