On 7/30/2008 3:40 PM, Buderschnookie wrote:
"Dark Energy" wrote in message
news:c229e300-a774-4f10-8d66-
But...but...If you leave the seed on, won't the plant think it has
done
its duty and now can die? Straight question.


It is not an annual- its normal life cycle is to flower and produce seed
every year, then grow another season and do it all over again.
Apple trees don't die after they produce apples- same thing.

Ooooo! You stole my answer.

If the plant is not trimmed at all, you will see new flowers (the
"brush") several inches above a ring of last year's seed capsules. You
might even see several such rings of capsules from successive years.
However, they do eventually fall off. Also, you might want to trim it
back before you get that result.

Note: If the bottle brush is in the genus Melaleuca and you are in or
near a tropical climate, the seeds will sprout when they fall to the
ground. In parts of Florida, Melaleuca is considered an invasive pest;
in California, this doesn't seem to be a problem. If the bottle brush
is in the genus Callistemon, don't worry; it behaves.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/