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Callistemon ‘Taree Pink’ is thought to be a cultivar of C. citrinus.
‘Taree Pink’ is a medium sized shrub that will reach a height up to 4 metres with a spread to 2 metres.
The leaves are to 5 cm long by 1 cm wide, with visible oil dots and a sharp point. The new growth is soft and pink.
In Callistemon species, flowers are usually arranged in spikes (the “bottlebrush”) which are produced at the terminals but which the stem then grows past, into a leafy shoot. Flowers have five small circular sepals and five circular petals which persist on the flowers.
Like many other Myrtaceae genera, the flowers are conspicuously staminate with each flower having many stamens surrounding one carpel. The stamens are typically free although may be fused at the basal parts (a generally useful identifying feature for the genus to distinguish it from Melaleuca). The pedicels of the flowers are very short. In this cultivar, the inflorescences are bright watermelon-pink, to 10 cm long by 3 cm wide and appear in profusion in mid spring. Flowering extends into summer.
Author’s notes: The inflorescences are rich in nectar and attract honeyeaters and a range of insects. In our cold climate garden in Armidale, ‘Taree Pink is one of the first spring flowering bottlebrushes to burst into bloom.
Callistemon ‘Taree Pink’ could be grown as a colourful hedge or screening plant. It could also be used as a street tree under power lines.
Pruning is essential to keep plants dense and flowering profusely. Cut each branch behind spent inflorescences. This encourages new growth and promotes flowering. Apply a suitable fertiliser when pruning. It can tolerate poor drainage to a degree and is also hardy in dry times but will benefit from some additional watering.
Cultivars must be propagated by cuttings to maintain ‘true-to-type’ form.
The genus Callistemon has been subject to recent taxonomic revision with early and recent botanists including Ferdinand von Mueller and Lyndley Craven (deceased in 2014) proposing to ‘lump’ the genus into Melaleuca and others. Craven et al. (2014) published new species combinations which included the renaming of all Callistemon species to Melaleuca, based on evolutionary relationships and DNA evidence and other features.
Currently, the NSW Herbarium advises that the Callistemon genus can still be used. There are currently about 30 species of Callistemon, which are found in all states of Australia as well as New Caledonia. About 28 are endemic to Australia. NSW currently recognises 24 species. New species have been described in the last 20 years.
Callistemon – From the Ancient Greek – Callos (κάλλος) – meaning “beautiful” (which is changed to κάλλη to describe a noun) and and stêma (στῆμα) meaning “stamen”, referring to the very showy staminate flowers of the bottle-brush inflorescences.
‘Taree Pink’ – named for the area where it originated and the colour of the inflorescences.
Gardening with Angus – Callistemon ‘Taree Pink’ profile page https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/callistemon-taree-pink-bottlebrush/
Wrigley, J.W. & Fagg, M.I. (2001). Australian Native Plants – Propagation, cultivation and use in landscaping. 4th edition. New Holland Publishers, Pty. Ltd. Australia.