Callistemon is an exotic shrub from the Myrtle family. Its amazing inflorescences, consisting of many long stamens, form unusual brushes at the ends of the shoots. For this, callistemon can often be found under the names "Bengal candles" or "multi-stamen." Exotic bushes are good both in the garden and indoors. In summer, they make out terraces or balconies, and for the winter they take them into the house. It is not difficult to take care of the plant, so even a novice flower grower will be able to please himself with tropical exoticism. In addition, callistemon releases phytoncides, which prevent the spread of pathogens in the air.
Botanical characteristics
Callistemon is a genus of evergreen shrubs and trees. In nature, their height is 0.5-15 m. Home specimens are more modest in size. Shoots branch from the base and form a thick, but rather uneven crown. Lateral processes stick out in all directions. They are covered with short petiolate leaves with a leathery surface and a slight pubescence on the back. Lanceolate leaf plates with a pointed edge are attached to the shoots again, they clearly visible relief central vein. The surface of the foliage contains small glands that secrete essential oils.
In May-July, spike inflorescences bloom at the ends of the shoots. Like most myrtle flowers, flowers have no petals, but contain numerous bunches of long stamens. Most often they are colored red, but there are varieties with orange, yellow and white inflorescences. The length of the inflorescence, similar to a brush, is 5-12 cm, and the width is 3-6 cm.
Callistemon is pollinated by small birds. After that, in early autumn, the fruits ripen - spherical seed boxes. They are covered with a dense woody shell. In the capsule with a diameter of 5-7 cm are small brown seeds.
Types of Callistemon
The genus Callistemon includes 37 plant species. The most popular in our country was callistemon lemon or citrus. It is named for the aroma that the crushed leaves exude. The homeland of the variety is Southeast Australia. A sprawling bush 1-3 m in height is covered with dark green bluish leaves of a lanceolate form. The length of the sheet plate is 3-7 cm and the width is 5-8 mm. Flowering occurs in June-July. At the ends of one-year-old shoots, thick raspberry-red inflorescences 6-10 cm long and 4-8 cm wide bloom. Popular varieties:
- White Anzac - a bush up to 1.5 m high blooms with snow-white inflorescences;
- Reeves pink - has bright pink flowers;
- Demens Rowena - scarlet stamen flowers bloom on a shrub up to 1.5 m high, gradually they become lighter and by the time of withering are painted in a pale pink shade;
- Mauve mist - different purple inflorescences.
Callistemon is rod-shaped. Trees with a height of 4-8 m can be found in England. The branches are covered with oval narrow leaves with an elongated base. The length of dense leathery foliage is 3-7 cm. In June, dense inflorescences 4-10 cm long bloom. Scarlet stamens have darker, burgundy anthers.
Callistemon pine. A shrub-shaped plant up to 3 mm high has very narrow leaves. Outwardly, they are more reminiscent of needles. Dark green bluish leaves up to 3 cm long do not exceed 1.5 mm wide. Foliage collected in whorls at the ends of young branches. In June-July, cylindrical inflorescences with golden yellow stamens bloom.
Breeding
Callistemon is propagated by sowing seeds and cuttings. Grow it from seeds begin in August-March. Seeds without preliminary preparation are sown on the surface of moist sand and peat soil. Cover the container with foil, ventilate daily and spray the ground as needed. Shoots appear within a month, after which the film is removed. When the seedlings grow two real leaves, they are dived into separate small pots. Plants develop slowly and bloom for 5-6 years.
A more convenient method of propagating callistemon is cuttings. It is necessary to wait until the adult plant has developed well and it will have lateral processes 7-12 cm long. Cuttings with 3-4 internodes are cut. The lower section is treated with phytohormones for root development. They are planted in pots of sand or sand and peat soil. Seedlings are covered with a cap, but aired daily. Heated soil can accelerate rooting. Within two months, about half of the cuttings take root.
Home Care
It is not difficult to care for callistemons, these are quite undemanding plants. However, they need to create specific conditions. Callistemon needs bright lighting. A few hours a day, direct sunlight should touch its foliage. In a hot room in summer, it is better to shade the bushes from the midday sun or take them out to fresh air. In winter, additional lighting may be required. With too little light, flower buds may not form at all.
The optimum average annual temperature is + 20 ... + 22 ° C. In autumn it is lowered to + 12 ... + 16 ° C. If callistemons are exposed, then when the temperature drops to + 5 ° C, it is time to bring the plants into the house. Winter cooling is necessary for laying flower buds.
Callistemon should be watered regularly. Like all tropical plants, it reacts poorly to drying out of the soil. Shoots quickly begin to slow in growth and become bare. You can not allow stagnation of water, as it leads to rotting of the roots. For irrigation take well-purified water, a little warmer than room temperature.
The leaves of callistemon are covered with a thin waxy coating, so they evaporate moisture slightly. This means that it is not necessary to artificially increase air humidity. Still, callistemon gratefully responds to periodic spraying and bathing. The procedure should be performed before or after the flowering period.
In April-September, callistemon is fed with mineral fertilizers for flowering plants. The top dressing diluted in water is applied to the soil twice a month.
Since the bush forms many protruding side shoots, it should be cut to form a crown. Pruning also contributes to branching and lush flowering in the coming season. It is carried out when the plant reaches a height of 50-60 cm. The best time is the end of summer, immediately after flowering.
Callistemon is transplanted every 1-3 years in the spring. Use stable and deep pots in which the root system can develop freely. Plants prefer loose, light soils with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. The soil mixture should contain turf soil, leaf soil, peat and sand. You can also buy universal ground for indoor flowers at the store. Clay shards or expanded clay are previously laid on the bottom of the pot to provide drainage. When transplanting from the roots, at least half of the old earthen coma should be cleaned.
Callistemon leaves secrete phytoncides, which inhibit the development of weeds under the plant, as well as parasite attacks. Only a few pests can resist them. The most common are scale insects and spider mites. The probability of their attack increases on hot days, so it is useful to spray the leaves with plain water. If the shoots and leaves are covered with a net of small punctures, and there are also cobwebs and whitish fluffy plaques, you can not do without the help of an insecticide.
Use of callistemon
Bright callistemon bushes will revitalize the interior of the room and decorate the summer garden. Essential oils that exude leaves, purify the air, and also contribute to the healing of households. They have bactericidal properties.
Some gardeners argue that the presence of callistemon in the house increases the owner's self-esteem and contributes to the hardness of his character. This plant is simply necessary for self-doubt and doubting individuals.
