Bottlebrush – Surviving In Atlanta

Q: On a recent trip to Jekyll Island I saw several beautiful bottle brush shrubs. Will they grow here?

A: This Australian native is certainly tempting! But I spoke with three experienced landscapers and all had seen examples of “experimental” bottlebrush plants that were winter-frozen in spots north of Atlanta. On the other hand, south of the city, Wilkerson Mill Gardens (www.hydrangea.com) reports that their nursery is in a cold spot outside the Perimeter and their ‘Woodlanders Hardy’ bottlebrush is thriving. This plant was selected by Bob McCartney at Woodlanders Nursery (www.woodlanders.com) in Aiken SC.