Re: successful planting in containers

Hi Pam

Your garden center's advice seems a bit odd to me.  Callistemon are generally very drought tolerant, slow growing plants are excellent choices for containers (otherwise they outgrow the container too quickly), and leggy?  

Sunset western gardens (the "bible" in California and the west) says that C. viminalis is fast growing, to a small tree or large shrub with pendulous branches.  'King's Park' is not one of the varieties it mentions but if I  were you, I'd go ahead and try it.  worst thing that happens, you end up planting it in the garden instead.   

I'd skip the photinia.  To me, it is pretty pedestrian.  I'd go with the Callistemon instead.

On Sep 8, 2007, at 12:24 PM, Pamela Steele 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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