SHRUBS > CALLISTEMON
IN THIS GUIDE
CALLISTEMON GUIDES
SplendensVarieties
Some Callistemon or ‘ Bottlebrush ’ varieties have sure charming qualities , such as a citrusy scent , reddish leaves , and pulling in hummingbirds , but they all have that one extra feature film : flowers .
unremarkably bright red , bottlebrushes seem to have been created straight from Mother Nature ’s factory .
Callistemons are prominent shrub or modest Tree that can be grown out of doors in the UK ’s milder regions .
Overview
PreferredFull Sun
ExposureSheltered
Height1.5 – 4 M
Spread1.5 – 4 M
Bloom TimeSpring / Summer
PreferredClay , loam or sand
MoistureMoist but well - drained
pHAcidic to neutral
You may think back how amused you felt when you first picture ruby-red bottlebrush sticking out of a little tree , and if you have n’t seen such a mass yet , well , fix to be amused at this fascinating member of the Plant Kingdom .
‘ Bottlebrush ’ isa little decorative tree , technically a shrub , whose specie lessen under Genus Callistemon or Genus Melaleuca .
Both Genus belong to the Myrtle Family ( Myrtaceae ) which admit Vinca minor , eucalyptus tree , and Syzygium aromaticum trees , among others.1Bottlebrush . ( n.d . ) . Standford : Robert Seigel . Retrieved March 13 , 2023 , fromhttps://web.stanford.edu/~siegelr/flora/bottlebrush.html
These plant life , as charming as they are amusing , are native to Australia and one or two nearby Melanesian islands.2Bottlebrush – Callistemon – . ( n.d . ) . Australian National Herbarium . Retrieved March 13 , 2023 , fromhttps://www.anbg.gov.au/callistemon/
So how can we grow Callistemon in the UK ?
As it happens , most Callistemon species inhabit Australia ’s Eastern smash which is get it on for its temperate to sub - tropical climate.3Australia ’s climate – driver , variability and extremes | . ( n.d . ) . CoastAdapt . Retrieved March 13 , 2023 , fromhttps://coastadapt.com.au/australias-climate-drivers-variability-and-extremes
Unfortunately , species as well as cultivars are Robert Frost - tender and can not tolerate hard Robert Lee Frost below -5 ° C .
Though all bottlebrush species are class as shrubs , some have the class of shrubby plants while others rise into modest trees with proper trunks .
An example of the former isCallistemon viridiflorusorMelaleuca virenswhile an example of the latter isC. viminalisorM. viminalis .
Both physique are extremely decorative .
Though 2 - 6 m are coarse elevation for these shrubs and trees , they can be as small as 60 centimetre and as tall as 10 m.
How To Plant
Callistemon can be grown from germ , propagated from semi - hardwood cuttings , or buy as potted plant .
plant grown from semen may or may not wrench out to be of the particular species you think you have sow as bottlebrush hybridize very freely .
The tiny seed should be sow in mid to late spring .
They may be startle in dampened pot soil and should be scattered on top of it and not sown at all deep .
The container should be placed in full daylight , be it indoors , and preserve in a quick place .
source should be water every two days and the soil should be keep consistently damp .
They will germinate in 2 - 3 workweek .
Callistemon varieties are also available as new plants in containers and are popular with home gardeners in this form .
If the motley allows , you may be able to keepthe shrub or tree in a container , should you wish to do so .
What you will demand to do is prune it so that it will not surpass the height and spread permissible for the container .
Where To Plant
Callistemon varieties are freeze - tender with hardiness ratings of H2 or H3 ( up to -5 ° coke ) .
They can be grown outdoors in only the modest part of the United Kingdom .
If you go in a neighborhood that is H4 or colder , you will postulate to rise bottlebrush Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree in a greenhouse .
you may still develop bottlebrush shrubs in a plantation owner so that it can be lend indoors for the winter , assuming you have enough space in a room for a big shrub .
Callistemon is not the type of works that can be maturate for ornamental intent in the northern parts or dusty regions of the UK and we recommend against the casual gardener trying to do so as it may not terminate well .
Of course , it is another affair if you are an experienced gardener who has a heated greenhouse .
Plant Care
In simplified term , bottlebrush is a creature of sunshine ; in the United Kingdom it should be sited in full sun .
It should preferably be in a south - face location while north - facing locations must be head off .
It must also be in a sheltered position as it needs protection from cold winds and stiff picnic .
The good soil for bottlebrushes is a swooning , crumbly , moderately - fertile sandy loam with minimal clay content , amended with some compost or peat down to about 30 curium .
It should enfeeble very well , so you may want to make a raised bed , pose a layer of gravel or incorporate some perlite in the land .
This ericaceous flora needs anacidic filth pHbut can put up neutral dirt .
Though bottlebrush can cope with dry grease they are not drought resistant .
They should be water regularly so that the soil stay moist .
Mature Bottlebrush shrubs and trees may be fecundate one-year in early - mid natural spring .
A balanced fertilizer mean for flowering Tree and bushes can be used but the overall size of these plant deviate very widely by species and as a result of pruning , so make certain to expend the right amount of plant food .
If you have respect extravagant foliar growth and comparatively fewer bloom the previous yr , then instead of balanced fertiliser practice a 0 - 10 - 20 or like fertiliser .
If your bush or tree is outdoors , then you must evaluate whether or not it is certain to survive winter by checking its hardiness rating .
Though outdoors bottlebrush are relatively pest - tolerant and disease - free , in a glasshouse they may succumb to the common pests including mealybugs , scale insects , and glasshouse red spider mites .
To transplantation , dig a hole that is as thick as the plant ’s root system and twice as broad .
The soil should be of the sort described above ; pre - stifle the soil .
After removing the works from the dope see that it is not root - bound , and if it is , attempt to spread out the roots .
Place it in the kettle of fish and backfill it such that the soil line is exactly as it was in the container .
Though the soil level may come a little lower on the prow , it should not be any gamy .
Pack in the soil well and give the flora a unspoiled watering .
Pruning
A good clock time to prune Callistemon is straightaway after the flowering season is over .
“ The subsequent new growth will then form the flowering shoot for the following year , ” shares Master Horticulturist Roy Nicol .
How you dress your plant life will depend on whether you want to grow it as a bush or a tree diagram .
To crop a young plant to grow as a shrub , allow it to put out shoots and branches ab initio .
nobble off any strong stem that shows signs of becoming a leader .
Cut back all the stems by one - third .
This will encourage fresh growth and a bushier form .
Keep an eye out for substantial root word that menace to run away and for straggly increase . This case of exacting pruning regimen will ensue in a well - balance multi - cauline bush .
To rationalize a untried plant to turn as a tree , choose a strong drawing card and prune shoots and branches that are vie with it .
Also , prune shoots that emerge closely to the basis of the incipient trunk .
ab initio allow 2 - 4 new branches to get that are well spaced , are on different face of the tree , and are at an acceptable upward angle .
Prune once a season to hold an attractive Libra the Balance and space between the branches and a well - shaped , even crown .
Other than that , during the flowering time of year deadhead regularly for appearance and also blossom production .
