Bottle Brush Tree

17 years ago

Could anyone tell me how to collect the seeds from the Bottlebrush Tree (Callistemon rigidus)? I have taken the really dried cones that develop along the stalks and from these came these really fine brown dust like, is this the seeds? I love the tree, it is a beautiful addition to my landscape and would love to know how to take the seeds. Thanks!

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alisonoz_gw
17 years ago
It sounds like you have it right. Old seed pods will be very grey and probably have already shed. Current year's flower pods will be green and unripe. Mature seed comes from pods at least a year old, they will have begun, or shown signs of, splitting. You can pick this and tap out onto paper or collect those pods just beginning to open, place in a paper bag somewhere warm, and allow the process to continue. The seed is very fine, light brown.
Bushfires here sometimes hasten that opening process. I must say in the worst drought in 100 years recorded (and I've only been around roughly 1/2 of it) I have never seen callistemon in our area so full of flower before. Survival mechanism I guess, I just hope it means rain is coming, we are in big trouble otherwise.
For info on propagation there are probably lots of sites if you use your favourite search engine. This may get you started

Here is a link that might be useful: bottle-brush from seed
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Callistemon have plentiful epicormic buds (those buds that lie dormant beneath the bark up and down the trunk). Since the top/tips of branches are dead, these buds will now become active and produce shoots, as you are finding out. Pruning won't hurt it, it is now a matter of aesthetics - you can wait and see what buds out and how much of the branches are dead, and cut off the dead wood. Or anticipate a bit and do it now. I have a whole row of 'Little John' that got hit hard last winter and I took off about 1/3 of the plants and they are now almost back to normal. If yours is grown in tree form it may be a bit harder to recover a nice shape, but it can be done. Good luck! Sara
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Another name for these is Paper Bark Eucalyptus. The red flowering species is just a small version of a large Euc. Crush a leaf and smell it, right away you will see the connection. The bark on these peels like an Acer griseum. If that is what is going on, then no problem. Also, the leaves only live about 3 years, so if the interior of the tree has yellow leaves and the outside ones are still green, no cause for alarm. One thing they do like is good drainage, they will not live if you are just a few inches above the water table like so many places are in SE FL. Without a picture and where the tree lives, it is so hard to give advice.
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I finally decided that I would like to use some aloes as companions for my Bottle Brush trees. I planted the trees this spring and mulched with shredded bark. Now I want to add Aloes, I am thinking that I should not keep the shreddd bark mulch and use rock? The area gets afternoon sun. I am also thinking I could plant a living ground cover (Rocky Clay soil). Actually now that I think about it...will the Aloes like the rocky clay soil? I cannot amment the entire area as the Bottle Brush are already happy and established.
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I had a seedling pop up at the edge of my pond amongst the coral rocks. I figured I'd leave it there as it looked interesting. When in one year, it grew to 5' and lush. I took it out because I didn't want the roots to invade the lining of the pond. Well I found that the root ball was HUGE. It apparently was quite happy being a 'water plant', maybe too happy. I had to dig this gigantic hole to plant it because most of it was roots. It is now doing well and I can't wait for it to grow larger because I like to attach orchids to it. Of course now that it is in the ground it is growing much slower. Go figure... I think your new plant will be fine.
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Bottle Brush Tree

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alisonoz_gw

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