Use these giant fast-growing evergreen shrubs as high hedges or screens, or train them as single-trunk trees. Their common name comes from their colorful bristle-like flowers that look like old-fashioned bottlebrushes. Blooms attract hummingbirds. Tolerate some frost and moderate drought at the expense of appearance, but are damaged or killed at 20º F or below. Stake young plants when training into a tree, prune to shape and thincrown. Watch for chlorosis in poor soils.
Showy, cream to yellow-green stamens radiate from the pale yellow flowers. New growth is silvery to red and is covered with glistening downy hairs.