Callistemon, new purchase

[Marc]

Hi all, bought me two new ones to play with. The thinner one is the droopy species, softer branches and leaves. The larger one I think is called something like Citrus... somethingsomething... And the branches are incredibly stiff, so very stiff that i'm afraid to bend them. and the leaves, man as sharp as needles, it's not gonna be fun playing with it, i can see my fingers hurting now....

However, As i've been here with yur turkies, it's made me really want to get more into Aussie natives, so added these to the collection. just picked the bigger up today, and the smaller up last weekend, so no styling done yet. but will have a think and a turn them around and around a little to see what to do.

anyone have any ideas?

[Marc]

Hi all, does this species back bud well after pruning? I am planning on starting some pruning this weekend, but am unsure as to where to start? i know some plants do not back bud well and a whole branch can die off after a prune. As the larger of these has some low down branches which I am very happy with, i do not want them to die, so am wary about the pruning.

what do you say?

[FlyBri]

Hi all, does this species back bud well after pruning? I am planning on starting some pruning this weekend, but am unsure as to where to start? i know some plants do not back bud well and a whole branch can die off after a prune. As the larger of these has some low down branches which I am very happy with, i do not want them to die, so am wary about the pruning.

what do you say?

Gday Marc!

Sorry about the delay (I've been meaning to reply since I first saw your post).

That's a nice fat base on the big one, and like you, I'd be tempted to do some trunk-chopping to improve the appearance of taper. A healthy Callistemon should backbud readily (even on bare wood), giving numerous options for new branches and/or apexes. In my experience, the genus is one of the least finicky of the Oz native plants currently used for Bonsai.

I've got a bit on at the moment, but I'll get some pics of my Callistemons tomorrow morning, and hopefully give you some idea of possible directions for yours.

Thanks and good luck.

Fly.

[Pup]

G, day Marc like Fly I have been busy. also as he said they shoot back very well even on wood that is very old. They strike will from cuttings I have been successful with cuttings up to 25mms. If you look at my post on Bottle brush and honey you will see what I mean. Drastic pruning is not a problem. Again a post on bothersome bottlebrush. Fly also said they are not too fussy about soil. I have found though the better you treat them the better they respond. A bit like your partner. Pup

[Marc]

dudes, thanks for the feedback, looking forward to the pics Fly. gives me more confidence to give 'em a chop.

but yeah, look at the trunk on the fat one, me thinks it's great!!

[FlyBri]

...I'll get some pics of my Callistemons tomorrow morning...

...and so I did... Sort of...

Callistemon_03_08_01.jpg

So, you can't see much in the way of 'structure', but that's largely due to the prolific growth from adventitious buds. This little stump was cut back to maybe 10 leaves last Spring. If I get the time and inclination, I might do a bit of a prune to show what's going on in there...

Thanks and good luck.

Fly.

[FlyBri]

...If I get the time and inclination, I might do a bit of a prune to show what's going on in there...

Callistemon_03_08_02.jpg

I figured we still have a good couple of months of growing ahead, so I cut back everything except the new leader. I kinda wish I had thought of this styling option when I first bought the tree, but the couple of years I've had it have allowed me to become familiar with its needs and habits. Give me another 3 years and we'll see what can be achieved...

Callistemon_03_08_02_Virt.jpg

Whaddaya reckon?

Thanks, and sorry for hijacking your thread, Marc.

Fly.

[Marc]

Hi mate, no worries, what would you call that style, "informal literati"?

I repotted the big one the other day, gave it a small tilt, trimemd the branches a little only. Damn stiff hard wood on this one, very worried about wiring anything.... will give it a few months after this repotting then see what I can do. it might be a matter of agressive trimming to promote the back budding to develop the tree, instead of wiring so much.

time will tell!!

[FlyBri]

Damn stiff hard wood on this one, very worried about wiring anything.... will give it a few months after this repotting then see what I can do. it might be a matter of agressive trimming to promote the back budding to develop the tree, instead of wiring so much.

Good point Marc! Callistemon wood is very hard, and attempting to wire mature branches will likely result in splitting and the breaking of parts you'd hoped to keep... That said, the young shoots are very pliable. Thus, a combination approach of wiring and "clip and grow" is probably the way to go on such a vigorous grower.

Thanks.

Fly.

PS: The 'informal literati' takes its inspiration from a literati Pine on page 87 of Craig Coussins' "Bonsai Master Class". I really love the silhouette, and think I've truly failed to capture it in my nasty little Virt...

[Kunzea]

Hi Marc, Fly and Pup
I'd agree with all the advice given: good at back budding, wood hard/somewhat brittle, young branches very flexible, grows in anything that's wet but responds very well to TLC.

I've dug up garden trees some 150 mm diametre at the base, cut back to about 500 mm height with no branches or leaves, put in styrofoam box with river sand and watered well (Callistemon 'Kings Park Special'). Produced new branches, but from about half way down the trunk below the cut. Don't know if would have branched further up is I had sealed the cut with paste.

On C. viminalis, I've dug up, bare-rooted, cut back to 500mm height (diametre at base about 75 mm) and had excellent budding from trunk up and down full length. C. citrinus responed similarly, but took some 6 months to show first buds. These are plants that were some 15 years old from a garden setting.

Fertilising regularly seems to ensure good flowering the next year - surprising that(!).
Cheers
Kunzea