Callistemon x 'Eleanor'

$12

The purplest flowers on any bottlebrush! This selection from a Portland, Oregon plant belonging to someone named Eleanor, endured a hard freeze in December 1998 that killed all of its friends and left it all alone. You can help it by adopting it and planting it alongside the other Callistemon species I offer! It is a semi-pendulous plant growing to about 4', and the purple flowers appear around late June in my garden. Although it has been sold as a form of C. pallidus in the past, and some nurseries seem to think it has white flowers, I can assure you the flowers are quite purple (mine is from the original source) and the plant is much less upright than the usual C. pallidus. Probably it is a hybrid with one parent as C. pallidus and the other some red-flowered thing. This is the bottlebrush the Turltes were singing about when they said, Eleanor, gee, I think you're swell, and you'd really do me well, you're my pride and joy, etc. Hardy probably to 5-10°F, maybe even a little lower. Like most Callistemons, it should endure hot weather with ease. Thanks to Paul Bonine at Viva Plants for sharing this outstanding selection.

Callistemon subulatus

$9

If you've been fooled before, I offer the real subulatus, a plant with a long history of cultivation in the Seattle area. It has a semi-weeping, spreading habit, and a profusion of showy crimson brushes in late spring, making it very showy! It will flower best in full sun with not too much irrigation and is generally cold hardy to about 10°F.

Callistemon sp. aff. salignus [WCM]

$12

I have offered seeds of this plant in the past, but now I have demonstrated that my seeds will indeed grow into plants. One of several different plants that came up from a seed packet of what was supposed to be C. salignus. This one looks closest to the real C. salignus! Expect an upright habit and VERY showy cream brushes. It tolerates poor drainage and temperatures to at least 10°F, perhaps much lower. I am just waiting to see how big it will get.... moohoohahaha!!!

Callistemon sp. Mt. Drummer, Tasmania - MOUNT DRUMMER BOTTLEBRUSH

$10

Who says every cool plant has to have a name? This very vigorous, large-growing (though still shrubby) bottlebrush remains nameless, but it will not hold that against anyone who grows it. On the contrary, it will reward you with felty mauve new growth and big, purple brushes in late spring! It has papery white bark, and very large leaves for a bottlebrush. Hardy to about 15°F. Thanks to Jim Gerdemann for sharing this plant from his amazing collection.

Callistemon sp. 'Violaceous'

$10

This provisional name is not an official botanical name, but it adequately describes the beautiful magenta flower color of this plant. It may be a seedling of C. citrinus 'Jeffersii' but it is certainly much hardier to cold than C. citrinus. It has an attractive upright habit with rather broad leaves. 12°F. Australia.

Leptospermum grandiflorum 'Eugene Hardy'

$12

This exciting tea tree from the mountains of southeast Australia grows into like a robust small tree with very large leaves (compared to the other species) and similarly magnificent oversized flowers. This is a seriously super-hardy Leptospermum, since they all survived being frozen solid for days and down to 13°F in their pots during the big December 2008 freeze (they lost some leaves but didn't die back!). I'd guess this ought to handle at least 5°F in the ground and perhaps lower. The name 'Eugene Hardy' probably refers to it being hardy in Eugene, Oregon; although it could just be named after a guy named Eugene Hardy. Thanks to Jim Gerdemann for sharing this plant from his amazing collection.

Leptospermum humifusum [upright form]NEW Spring 2010!

$9

This species is distinctive for having a very dark green look overall, though the stems and bark are an appealing red-brown. It also has small white flowers in spring. It is one of the more compact-growing species, usually maxing out around 4 - 6' tall. An extremely hardy species, it ought to handle 5°F and perhaps 0°F.

Leptospermum nitidum [green form] NEW Spring 2010!

$12

This species is very vigorous and has almost a rocket-like habit of growth. Although eventually tree-like in habit (perhaps to 15'? we don't know yet), it remains rather pyramidal and doesn't take up too much space. It can also be cut back to make a more rounded shrub. Leaves are small and green, and white spring flowers occur among the leaves. It has never been damaged by cold in my old garden in Olympia, and ought to handle at least 10°F once established and perhaps lower.

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