Bottle Brush Pruning

[Grant Bowie]

Hi Pup,

We repotted the callistemon today. The roots were very healthy. Any sign of Akadama had long disappeared into a soil like mush. The CRG of course was intact..

It is in heavy shade for a week or two now and I will take photos after that when we move it back to its usual prime spot in the collection.


Grant

[rch003]

Dude, that is ridiculous, we have a couple growing here, about 25 feet high, after seeing your beautiful tree, i am going to start an air layering tomorrow, thanks heaps

[NBPCA]

Hi Pup,

We repotted the callistemon today. The roots were very healthy. Any sign of Akadama had long disappeared into a soil like mush. The CRG of course was intact..

It is in heavy shade for a week or two now and I will take photos after that when we move it back to its usual prime spot in the collection.


Grant

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As you can see the Callistemon is doing fine and budding back where it hasn't done the previous 2 years.

Some of the new buds on old wood may prove very useful as we can make new branches out of them. We can then replace any bar branching over a period of years without having to make the tree unshowable for any period of time.

Grant

[Kikianna Bonsai]

Hey Pup,
Thanks for all the information and showing the progression photos of your beautiful callistemon bonsai and the cuttings that you took.
I had a few questions reguarding callistemon; When is the best time to air layer? Before a growth spurt like you would to repot or in spring/early summer?
It's mid autumn at the moment and I'm in sydney (where've had alot of crazy weather lately over here!!) and was wondering if I could airlayer a few plants that im working on. One of them was root-pruned hard, pruned and repotted in november last year. Also how long should I leave the airlayer on for? I just recently took some airlayers which were sucessful that I done on two Lilly Pillies back in mid spring last year (About 5 months A/L on) and potted them into large 20cm training pots.
Thanks also for the propagating tips with the honey; im going to try it as I also take cuttings from the top of my callistemon...
Any information would be greatly appreiciated. Cheers Glen T.

[Pup]

Glen T, if you look in this page of the Callistemon, you will find under one of my posts, all the info you need and want Pup

[Dario]

Hi Pup, lots of great info here, so thanks!
Just a quick question...when taking cuttings do you mix cutting powder in with the honey, or do you just use the honey as an antifungal?
I didn't see any mention of cutting powder in the photos of your cuttings.
I am new at all this so sorry if it is a silly Question. I have used cutting powder with all of my cuttings in the past, so maybe it is just a given that you use it?
Thanks, Dario.

[Pup]

Hi Pup, lots of great info here, so thanks!
Just a quick question...when taking cuttings do you mix cutting powder in with the honey, or do you just use the honey as an antifungal?
I didn't see any mention of cutting powder in the photos of your cuttings.
I am new at all this so sorry if it is a silly Question. I have used cutting powder with all of my cuttings in the past, so maybe it is just a given that you use it?
Thanks, Dario.

Just the Honey

[Pup]

Just going though my old pictures and found this one of the tree that is in the National collection the first year after collecting.

As you can see the angle of planting, is very much like the new angle. Also note how floriferous it is after one year, as I have said it was dug like this, 12 months earlier in November of 2001.

Calistomen_edited.jpg

Not bad EH,

Cheers Pup

[NBPCA]

Thats amazing after just 1 year.

Grant

[Pup]

As they say Grant ignorance is bliss, when you don't know and are told dig it today cos it wont be there tomorrow.

Then you just pray and mine were answered.

[Pup]

Todays pruning of my last large Bottle brush, if I still have it next year when I re pot it I will take the top out and also plant in a more upright position.

The top will be used as a cutting and produce another mini.

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[davidbishop]

Hi all

I'm just wondering if anyone knows the species/ variety of bottle brush used here, or which are the best for use as bonsai that also flower well ?

Thanks

David

[Pup]

Hi all

I'm just wondering if anyone knows the species/ variety of bottle brush used here, or which are the best for use as bonsai that also flower well ?

Thanks

David

On both questions asked. Callistemon viminalis x Captain Cook

[Hornet]

Callistemon viminalis is a great one, some amazing examples of the species locally. They grow along creeks, often horizontal from years of flood, hollow trunks and heaps of dead wood.

[davidbishop]

Thankyou both!