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Callistemon viminalis Slim ['CV01'] PP24,444 - Slim Bottlebrush - A unique narrow upright form of the Weeping Bottlebrush that is well branched and can grow as tall as 8 to 12 feet and as wide as 4 to 6 feet. It can be trimmed to be kept at 5 feet tall and as narrow as 2 feet wide with foliage kept all the way to the ground with a prolific display of red bottlebrush flowers in spring through fall. Plant in full sun to part shade in most any soil and give occasional to infrequent irrigation - fairly drought tolerant once established. Should prove hardy to at least 20 °F. This would be a great choice where a colorful tall plant with dense cover is need for a tight space - a great replacement for Eugenia (Syzygium australe).
Callistemon viminalis is native to New South Wales and Queensland, Australia where it typically occurs on the edge of creeks and streams but it has long been used in our mediterranean climate in drier situations. This selection is the result of crossing Callistemon viminalis 'Captain Cook' with an un-named Callistemon viminalis selection at the Plant Breeding Institute in Cobbitty New South Wales, Australia in in 2005. It is registered to Graham Brown Horticulture Development Manager and plant breeder at The University of Sydney in partnership with NuFlora. This plant was selected for the combination of tall plant height, columnar shape, dense growth habit, and both longer and wider leaves. It received US Plant Patent PP24,444 in May 2014 and is being marketed in the US as part of the Ozbreed shrub plant line by Dig Plants Inc..
The genus was named using the Greek words 'kallos' meaning "beautiful" and 'stemon' meaning "stamens" in reference to the long conspicuous and colorful stamens that characterize the flowers of this genus. Melaleuca and Callistemon have long been noted as closely related and separated on the basis that Callistemon stamens were free and those of Melaleuca were in bundles. In 2006, using DNA evidence, Australian botanist Dr. Lyndley Alan Craven of the Australian National Herbarium reclassified nearly all species of Callistemon as Melaleuca noting that Callistemon. was insufficiently distinct from Melaleuca. For more information about this see our more detailed discussion about this name change on our Callistemon citrinus entry. Though this change makes this plant's name Melaleuca viminalis 'Slim', until such time that the new names have broad recognition in the California nursery trade we will still refer to these plants as Callistemon.
The information about Callistemon viminalis Slim ['CV01'] PP24,444 displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant. |
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