Re: successful planting in containers

Callistemon viminalis is actually a much more graceful
foliage plant with a weeping habit, and gorgeous
flowers that is much used here in San Francisco as a
small weeping street tree.  It is certainly considered
drought tolerant here locally once established, and
will thrive under our much cooler mediterranean
summers with no additional water once established.  In
your heat, I would think regular garden watering would
be more than adequate, and it wouldn't need any more
irrigation than a Photinia would.  C. viminalis will
get more than 4 meters tall with age, so it will
probably need some regular tip pinching/shaping to
keep it tight and bushy.

I think the main reason that California gardeneners
are so dismissive of Photinia fraseri is that it is so
overplanted here, and tends to be the fast growing
plant of choice for people who want cheap and quick. 
In the right place it can still look good, but I
haven't planted any in gardens since the early 1970's.
 The new red foliage is really no more distasteful or
gaudy than a Pieris forrestii, but the sheer volume of
its plantings as made it seem mundane.

You might also consider some Leucospermum or
Leucadendron cultivars or species as candidates if
they do well in your area.  These are special shrubs
that are too little used in mediterranean climates,
and are so attractive at a time of year when little
else is as showy, except for our California native
shrubs such as Fremontodendron or Ceanothus.
--- Pamela Steele <pamela.steele@re-taste.com> wrote:

> Thank you everyone for your help ...its still a
> dilemma because I was very
> keen on the contribution by David Feix of the
> callistemon citrinus of which
> my garden centre had some excellent strong specimens
> of the variety
> Callistemon vinimalis 'Kings Park'.  But I was told
> it would not do well in
> containers as it is a slow grower,  needed huge
> amounts of water and becomes
> very leggy!!! Is this true?? She said that Photinia
> would probably be best
> for my situation. I don't trust garden centres here
> in Spain as they don't
> always give honest advice.  The Hakea looks
> wonderful but its not available
> here .
> Pamela
>
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