Care for callistemon grown as a standard
mmsj496
Posts: 70
I rescued a half-dying callistemon standard from a garden centre earlier this year. I brought it home, stuck it in a bucket of water and potted it on in a larger pot with ericaceous compost. It is now thriving, has flowered, and has new shoots. I really love it. However, I cannot find any advice on the web on future care, when one has been cultivated/pruned as a standard. I know they can grow to be quite big shrubs/trees, but I only have a patio, so no ground to transplant it to in the future.
How do I keep it as a standard please? When and how should I prune it? Will it need a bigger pot in future?
How do I keep it as a standard please? When and how should I prune it? Will it need a bigger pot in future?
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Eventually, your branches will start to have a weeping look. It all depends on the look you want and whether the top growth is able to remain stable depending on the pot size.
You can prune back after flowering. If you want an informal look, don’t prune every single branch. Just select half to do and alternate next year the other half. That way you don’t lose flowering by accident, and the growth will look more naturalistic. Alternatively, you can prune back all but you will have a more shorter and lollipop look. Up to you.