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Bottle Brush Tree- Callistemon

Bottlebrush trees or Callistemon mostly suffer from dry or dead leaves. If your plants are so then this may be due to the lack of water supplied to the plants. There may be other reasons like pests problem and nutrient deficiencies that cause great damage to the plants.

Here in this article you will be able to know about the factors that are responsible for the  growth of bottlebrush plants  and  how to overcome these problems when planted indoors.

Callistemon species are commonly called as bottle brush because of its cylindrical brush like flowers resembling a traditional bottlebrush. These are mostly found in the east coast regions and in favorable moist conditions. When planted in outdoor garden these plants thrive on supplying sufficient amount of water.

Bottlebrush  Varieties

S. No	Variety	Plant Height	Specification
1	Crimson	4 meters	Bright red flower spikes
2	Lemon	3 meters	Frost tolerant, lemon color spikes
3	Prickly	3 meters	Prickly leaves, red color spikes
4	Alpine	1-2 meters	Very hardy stem,yellow color spikes
5	Weeping	5-7 meters tall	Large bright red color flower spikes
6	Subulatus	1-3 meters	Red color flowering spikes

How to Grow Bottlebrush Tree from Seeds?

USDA Zones: 9-11

Flowers: Red, yellow, white and orange

Plant Height: 15 feet

Temperature: 60 F

Sunlight: Full Sun

Fertilizers: Phosphorus rich fertilizer

Seeds

Choose a hybrid seed variety by purchasing them from nursery or online store to grow them in pots. Though growing callistemon from seeds, is a time taking process yields a high crop gain during growing season when planted.

Pot & Soil

Place the seeds into the pot of size 6 inches height. Generally prefer the pots that are made up of clay, ceramic that has more draining capacity.

These plants mostly prefer well-drain soil. If the soil is very poor then enrich the soil by adding mulches in the form of dead leaves, ripen fruits and vegetables to maintain soil moisture levels evenly.  Bottlebrush performs best in acidic to alkaline soils with pH ranging from 5.6 – 7.5.

Water & Sunlight

Water bottlebrush tree daily during 1^st week after planting. Give enough water to the plants and make sure you do not water in bulk amounts at the base of the plant. Provide sunlight to the plants for a minimum of 6 hours a day to perform photosynthesis process.  Maintain a room temperature of 60F when you start growing the plant indoors.

Flowering

Callistemon plants bloom flowers in spring and early summer season. Due to some factors flowers may even bloom in other seasons. Flower heads may vary in color but are available in red, yellow, green, Orange and white colors.

Pruning

Light pruning is done in case of callistemon to ensure new growth. Prefer pruning method other than winter season in which the plant can be damaged due to the excess frost conditions. Prune shortly at the node below the tip of the stem and also when the flowers fade away.

Nutrient Deficiency

S. No	Element	Deficiency Symptom
1	Nitrogen	Spindle yellow leaves, pink tints
2	Potassium	Yellow or purple leaf tints,  brown leaf edges
3	Phosphorus	Slow growth and yellow foliage
4	Magnesium	Yellowing of leaf veins, reddish brown tints

Pests & Diseases

Pests	Diseases
Aphids	Root rot
Thrips	Leaf spot
Spider mites	Powdery mildew
Caterpillar	Cankers
White flies	Twig gall
Leaf beetles	Veriticillium wilt

Fertilizers

To encourage flowering in callistemon, provide the plant with low phosphorus fertilizers mostly for Australian varieties. Plant does not require lot of fertilizers so apply them in spring and autumn season. You can also use organic fertilizers such as compost, manure or N-P-K fertilizers in the ratio of 10-10-10 to ensure plant growth.

Can you propagate Bottlebrush  from cuttings?

To propagate bottlebrush tree from cuttings, take a 6 inch cuttings from semi mature wood. Prune it using a shears or pruners to cut the stem. Plant the stem cuttings in summer season to thrive quickly. Also pinch off the leaves of lower half of the stem cuttings and remove flower buds.

Keep the stem cuttings in a jar of water until the root starts developing. Change the water in jar for every 2-3 days and place it near window location. Now you can place the completely established stem cuttings into the well drain soil. After few weeks (10-12 weeks) plant matures and starts flowering.  You can move the plant to outdoors in spring season and provide constant water supply and full sunlight to thrive quickly.

How do you Care for Callistemon?

Callistemon plant is easy in right growing conditions. Here are some useful tips for callistemon plants to thrive quickly…

• Do not overwater the plant cannot survive and may result in root rot.
• The pot or container has enough holes at the bottom for proper drainage system.
• Keep children and pets (dogs & cats) away from the plants when you fertilize them.
• Follow the instructions & warning labels when you purchase fertilizers before applying.
• Fertilize the plants with organic matter once in every 3 months for better plant growth.
• Make sure the plant receives sunlight for a minimum of 6-8 hrs a day when planted indoors.
• Spacing between each plant should be 12inches apart when you prefer to grow them at outdoors.
• Adding mulches like dead leaves ripen fruits and vegetables at the base of the plant to maintain moisture levels.

What is a bottlebrush tree?

Bottlebrush (Callistemon) name came from the spikes of flowers that bloom at the end of the stem resembling the shape of a bottle brush. These plants can grow up to a height of 15 feet tall when grown as shrubs or as small trees.

Is a bottlebrush tree evergreen?

Bottlebrush is a small but spectacular evergreen shrub or tree in the family of Myrtaceae. Plants are native to Australia but widely cultivated in natural locations. These are easy to grow and love full sun and warmth, moisture conditions.

How do I prune my bottlebrush plant?

Pick out the thin branches of the plant so that sunlight can reach inside of the plant. Pruning bottle brush includes removal of suckers growing from the roots as they appear. Pruning helps to divert the energy to flowers that are about to bloom.

What are the good companions for callistemons?

Good companions for callistemons includes hibiscus, bush daisy, sweet potato, ginger, cannas, muhly grass, thryallis and copper plant. These plants improve the  fertility in callistemons, flowering blooming time and deter pests when planted together.

Start growing bottle brush tree in your home or garden that adds beauty to your garden and monitors your health. If you have amazing ideas about growing bottle brush tree, please share your experience with us.

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