Low, spreading shrub mostly to 1 m tall. Leaves densely arranged, linear, subulate or rarely terete, 2-4 cm long, 2-3 mm wide, shortly and sharply pointed. Flower spikes 4-8 cm long, 4-4.5 cm wide, generally with some leafy bracts, axis sparsely hairy or glabrous, filaments 15-20 mm long, dark crimson; summer but occasionally throughout the year. Fruit 4-5 mm long.

Habit variable, with erect and weeping forms available.

SA, Vic.

C. pearsoni R.D. Spencer &Lumley, Rainbow Bottlebrush, from the Blackdown Tableland in Qld is occasionally grown; it is very similar but has distinctive yellow, not deep crimson, anthers.

Source: Spencer, R. (2002). Myrtaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 3. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 2. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.