Janurary's Tree of the month is the red bottlebrush tree, Callistemon citrinus. The bottlebrush is native shrub/tree to Australia with strikingly red flower spikes that resemble a bottle brush, hence the common name. The flowers are present in spring and summer and will attract hummingbirds and butterflies. This small tree was available with the Urban Forestry's planting program; however, this tree has now been added to the invasive tree list. A tree species becomes invasive when the tree is not native to an area and has been documented to out-compete native species in the natural ecosystem. As new research into new species being planted becomes evident, the urban forest must be adaptive as well. We no longer offer this species to be planted as part of our 630-CITY planting program. When selecting and purchasing plants/trees for your landscape, it is crucial to do your own research as to determine if the choices being made are good for our local ecosystems.