Kay wrote:

So if I have a Callistemon of uncertain parentage given to me as a
cutting, which has not yet flowered and is getting a bit leggy (I've run
out of S facing wall and it's in the greenhouse) I should be OK pruning
it early in the season but shouldn't prune it much later than now?

Got it in one. The further north you live, the longer it will need of
the growing season to make decent strong shoots that can ripen
sufficiently to flower next year. Being a typical Oz plant it wants
plenty of hot sun. The great thing is that they will take a fair
degree of hard pruning and can re-sprout from old wood. Leggy,
unproductive plants can be pruned much earlier than now and will
produce up to 4 new shoots per cut end of stem.

Kay, if you are going to have to retain your plant in a pot, give it a
decent sized container so it can develop a good sized root system. A
good compost is a mix of 4 parts JI No.2 to 1 part coarse sand or
horticultural grit. Most Callistemons can be successfully
constrained within a 30cm. diameter pot and if top-dressed with fresh
compost each spring, will live happily and flower well for many years.


Dave Poole
Torquay, Coastal South Devon UK
Winter min -2°C. Summer max 34°C.
Growing season: March - November
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