Hmmm....getting closer, I guess. Looking at picture number 3 of 7 on this site: http://reclaimbeauty.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-linden-tree-flower-and-its-fragrance.html The yellow 'flowers' on mine are a bit smaller and more tightly packed, meaning each crown doesn't have spread yellow buds, but is more stiff and together. And there are a lot more green leaves, with clusters of flowers hanging only upside down, looking like dining room lights (yellow bulbs surrounded by green facing down on a table.) . Very thick trunk on mine, and I only see bees near the clusters which already fell off. And they seem to fall off almost all at one (like within a week).

Love your Bottlebrush tree! I noticed in your pictures that you have the mulch all the way up to the trunk. Maybe you might try clearing it out leaving a clean 12 inch diameter around the trunk. It sounds like you are doing all the right things though. I planted two Bottlebrush trees last year and they both had some yellow leaves after planting too. I wouldn't be too concerned. I watered mine every two days for about a month and then twice a week throughout the summer and I have clay soil here in the Houston area. I did amend the soil with some quality potting soil mix before planting and fertilized twice so far with MicroLife fertilizer (made in Texas!). Good luck with your new tree! I love ours, I posted a picture of one of them here.

I don't grow it either, but from photos I've seen it seems like that is it's natural growth habit. As Mara says it looks healthy so I'd just leave it alone unless it's wilting a lot. In that case perhaps it doesn't have enough roots to support the top growth after it was moved and trimming it back would bring it into balance. On the other hand, a lot of my established plants started wilting from the afternoon sun after enjoying so many weeks of unusually mild cloudy weather. They will toughen up after a few days. Here is a link that might be useful: Images of bottle brush trees looking top heavy ...

Your bottlebrush tree is probably just having a rest for winter. If it looks healthy, nothing bad will happen if you ignore it completely - but it will flower all the better if you prune it as Mallee suggests. You don't want to prune in spring, as you would be cutting off the flowering material. I would probably prune it now despite the frost risk, so long as the bits you want to cut off are a decent distance from the ground, and the tree isn't situated somewhere where the frost pools. Next year, though, it would be better to prune it as the flowering season finishes. (Cut back to just behind the flowers). Sometimes I prune bottlebrushes twice a year. Getting to the job as soon as the first flush of flowers finishes can encourage a better second flush. Even if you don't know its botanical name, can you describe your bottlebrush for us? There are SO MANY different kinds! Tell us about the flowers, the bark, the trunk diameter, the age of the plant .... Trish