Mountain bottlebrush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mountain bottlebrush |
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| Melaleuca montana in the Maranoa Gardens | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Melaleuca
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| Species: |
montana
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| Synonyms | |
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Callistemon montanus S.T.Blake |
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The Mountain Bottlebrush, also known as Melaleuca montana, is a special plant. It belongs to the myrtle family, called Myrtaceae. This plant grows only in a specific area of Australia, near the Border Ranges National Park in New South Wales and Queensland.
Some people still call it Callistemon montanus. This plant is usually a shrub or a small tree. You can tell it apart from other red bottlebrushes because its petals are hairy!
What Does It Look Like?
The Mountain Bottlebrush is a shrub or a small tree. It can grow up to 8 meters (about 26 feet) tall.
Its leaves grow one after another along the stem. They are usually between 37 and 112 millimeters (about 1.5 to 4.4 inches) long. The leaves are also 5 to 12 millimeters (about 0.2 to 0.5 inches) wide. They are flat and shaped like a narrow oval or egg. Sometimes, one side of the leaf is straighter than the other. Each leaf has a main vein down the middle and 11 to 21 smaller veins branching off.
The flowers are red or crimson. They grow in spikes on the sides of the branches. These spikes are 15 to 65 millimeters (about 0.6 to 2.6 inches) across. Each spike has 15 to 30 individual flowers.
The petals of each flower are 4.2 to 6.2 millimeters (about 0.17 to 0.24 inches) long. They are very hairy on the outside. These petals fall off as the flower gets older. Each flower has 27 to 47 stamens, which are the parts that hold pollen.
Mountain Bottlebrush usually flowers in spring and summer. But sometimes, you might see it flowering at other times of the year too. After the flowers, the plant produces woody fruits. These fruits are like small capsules, 6.2 to 8.6 millimeters (about 0.24 to 0.34 inches) long.
Its Scientific Name
The scientific name Melaleuca montana was first officially described in 2006. This was done by a scientist named Lyndley Craven. He wrote about it in a scientific journal called Novon.
The second part of the name, montana, is a Latin word. It means "of mountains." This name was chosen because the plant grows in mountain areas.
You might also hear this plant called Callistemon montanus. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew now considers Callistemon montanus to be the same plant as Melaleuca montana.
Where Does It Live?
This type of melaleuca plant grows in the Border Ranges National Park area. This area is right near the border between New South Wales and Queensland in Australia.
It likes to grow in forests and open heathland. You can often find it in thin soil on top of cliffs or along their edges.
Growing It in Gardens
People have been growing the Mountain Bottlebrush for a long time. They used to call it Callistemon montanus.
Its flowers might not be as bright or showy as some other bottlebrushes, like Melaleuca citrina. However, the Mountain Bottlebrush is special because it can flower well even in shady spots. This makes it a good choice for gardens that don't get a lot of sun.
