A Fast-Growing Flowering Tree That Won't Mind Heat, Dry Soil And Is Easy To Care For

Ever-increasing summer temperatures and unpredictable rainfall are unfortunate yet well-documented results of climate change. You may find yourself tempted to eliminate ornamental plantings in your landscape because of this ongoing threat, but you don't have to sacrifice a lovely yard entirely. A 'Red Cascade' weeping bottlebrush tree (Melaleuca viminalis 'Red Cascade') might be exactly what your hot, dry patch of paradise needs for both aesthetic and wildlife value.

Hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11, this Australian native grows enthusiastically and reaches heights and widths of 15 to 20 feet. Its fuzzy, cylindrical pinkish- to orangish-red flowers make the 'Red Cascade' an ideal specimen tree, but its blooms put on more than a show for the eyes. Not only is their color spectacular, 'Red Cascade' blossoms are spectacularly sized, reaching up to 5 inches in length. 

'Red Cascade' bottlebrush trees are great way to start a pollinator garden. The flowers' nectar lures in butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators when they appear in both spring and fall, and their fruit sustains other animals over the winter. And once the cool weather appears, this tree keeps its leaves, and its handsome, exfoliating gray bark takes center stage.

It's not too challenging to grow and care for a bottlebrush tree. 'Red Cascade' is a low-maintenance tree you will want in your landscaping. Even with its short checklist of needs, 'Red Cascade' doesn't grow well in shade or exposed to salt spray. It's also not frost hardy. Besides those three sensitive points, it'll grow in nearly any kind of soil. However, 'Red Cascades' live more happily in well-draining soil, since they're susceptible to root rot if the ground is consistently damp.

'Red Cascade' weeping bottlebrushes are drought-tolerant plants once they reach maturity, but they do need regular watering in their first year in order to get there. Treat your 'Red Cascade' to fertilizer in the spring before new growth appears. Giving it a bit of pruning promotes bushy growth and manages its shape.

Like any low-maintenance plant, this one's not without a few weaknesses. 'Red Cascade' may produce more leaf and flower litter than you'd like, and it may fall prey to mites, insect galls, cankers, and witches' broom.