Re: successful planting in containers

Pamela,
 
Following David's excellent list, I would go with Oleander. It is a native of Southeastern Spain, there is a great variety of cultivars, is a very reliable grower in your area and it is sold at most nurseries/garden centers. Choose the cultivar carefully depending on the space available, since oleanders can be low mounds of foliage or huge shurbs.
 
It does seem strange that at the garden center they told you that Callistemon needs lots of water, but it is true that it might get a bit leggy with time: at least here in the Madrid area, older specimens tend to have a lot of wood and not too many leaves. It might behave differently in your area though.
 
Fran
Madrid, Spain
 
----- Original Message -----
From: p*@re-taste.com
To: m*@ucdavis.edu
Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2007 9:24 PM
Subject: successful planting in containers

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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