Bottlebrush trunk chop
- Thread starter tinny
- Start date
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Almost any time of year is OK to chop Callistemon. Early summer is actually prime time as you should get quick response while the trees are active.
After flowering prune is recommended for both potted and garden Callistemon. I have been chopping mine over the past few weeks as they finish flowering here.
After flowering prune is recommended for both potted and garden Callistemon. I have been chopping mine over the past few weeks as they finish flowering here.
Srt8madness
Omono
I've bought two dwarf bottle brushes. I cut the roots on the first during summer and it promptly died. I barely added some dirt to the second and it about bit the dust too. So no advice on the chop but careful on those roots 
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
This sounds quite unusual. Do you know the species or cultivar name you tried? I have had occasional failures but most have no problem with root pruning, even radical root pruning seems OK for most. Maybe there are other factors at play that have caused these problems for your trees??
tinny
Seed
- Messages
- 4
- Reaction score
- 1
Cool thanks. I've just given it a hard chop!
Srt8madness
Omono
Well it was like 90+ degrees outside so I figured that was the main culprit. Not sure on the second though.
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Even high temps don't seem to worry my Aussie native transplants. I've root pruned plenty of trees with temps into the 100s for the following week and they just keep growing. For a while we were warned to watch for summer dormancy to repot but I now know that even trees in full growth can be repotted without ill effect.
They must be kept damp, even on the wet side of damp, until new roots have grown.
It is still early summer down here and I have a lot of recent transplants of Callistemon, Melaleucas and Leptospermums all sitting in trays of water until I see signs of recovery and growth. Fortunately no temps anywhere near 100F so far.
