Callistemon, Plants and Species

Callistemon Growing Conditions and Care

Callistomen will tolerate just about any condition except for shade. They do require good drainage but keep watered when establishing. Prune Callistemon each year just below the old flowers to keep in shape.

Fertilizer for Callistemons

In general callistemons do not require much fertilizer at all, in fact to much can inhibit flowering and just promote leaf growth. However in very poor soils use a low phosphorous fertiliser or specialist Australian native plant food, apply sparingly in spring and again in autumn. Mulch to prevent moisture loss, as the mulch breaks down it will provide sufficient nutrientsin most cases.

Callistemon cultivars and species

Callistomen viminalis is the 'weeping bottlebrush' and is perhaps one of the most widely grown species. While others such as Callistemon citrinis and Callistemon salignus are also widely used 'Orange marmalade' callistemon which is a tall growing yellow flowering calistemon, while Callistemon citrinis 'Kings Park Special' is a cultivar that originated in Perth's Kings Park a very vigorous Callistemon covered with lovely crimson brushes in spring and Callistemon 'little john' being just some of hundreds of cultivars