Callistemon Pruning

[PeachSlices]

I recently purchased a Callistemon and i've been researching care requirements.

Repotting is to occur late spring early summer. I slip potted the tree recently but did nothing to the roots, If i find a nice pot by late spring could i repot it then?

Keep in a water tray as they are thirsty.

Pruning in March. But i have spring shoots shooting right now if i cut these off would that mean i'm cutting off possible flowers?
If i prune now will i get new sprouts that will potentially flower or am i cutting off the potential flowers in favor of tree shape?

Kind regards,

Simon

[GBarb]

Cutting of tips and shoots now will depend on what you are trying to achieve.

I am going for back bidding to force development, so I’m not concerned about flowers at the moment.

They are very apicaly dominant so watch they don’t get leggy. Which is exactly the issue I’m having at the moment

[Waltron]

Just do what Pup outlines in his thread on Bottle Brush Pruning.
I have been since 2009 and it works.

[shibui]

Pup is a master of Callistemon so his advice will be good.
Callistemon flower in spring on the tips of shoots that grew last summer. If the shoots are growing now they probably won't flower this year as flower buds should be quite obvious by now.
If you aim for flowers then prune spring through to mid summer then allow all shoots to grow through autumn to try to set flower buds for the following spring. Note that callistemon can be frustrating and don't always flower. Seems that everything needs to be just right to get flowering.

If you are still forming tree structure and ramification or growing trunk size you should put flowering as a last priority. Prune as much as necessary to form a good trunk and branches. Flowering is only for a week each year. Good tree shape is for 360 days of the year and for the life of the tree.