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Callistemon ( I think) question
- To: m*@ucdavis.edu
- Subject: Callistemon ( I think) question
- From: K* O* <o*@erols.com>
- Date: Wed, 17 Sep 1997 01:34:11 -0400
- References: <05C37341EFD34007*/c=US/admd=ATTMAIL/prmd=GOV+NOAA/o=CCNMFS/s=Osborn/g=Ken/@MHS>
Observed this plant in containers at The Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center
on Oahu 2 weeks ago. A small bush (2 1/2 to 3 feet) with dark green
leathery leaves, red powder puff-like flowers (bright red, firm stamens,
pronounced, bronze/green anthers). The bvest information I could get
While in Hawaii last month, I saw an interesting plant in
planters on the top floor of a shopping center (so, full sun, all
day long). They were small (2 1/2 - 3 ft) evergreen plants with
dark green leathery leaves, with red powderpuffŽlike flowers
(bright red, firm stamens, pronounced bronze/green anthers). The
best information I could get from the facilities manager was a common
name,
dwarf bottlebrush, but I didn't think it was a Callistemon, because the
flower spikes were spherical, rather than cylindrical, but it did seem
likely to be a Myrtaceae. One thing that occurred was Metrosideros
polymorpha (Ohi`a lehua a Hawaiian
native), however botanists (including at the Bishop Museum) said
that was very unlikely.
Then someone suggested it was perhaps a Callistemon called `Little
John', an Australian native and cultivar. The Australian National
Botanic Garden, Callistemon page
(http://www.anbg.gov.au.callistemon/callistemon.html), lists
Callistemon citrinus as `Crimson Bottlebrush', then further down lists
Callistemon `little john' as a DWARF cultivar, with Callistemon citrinus
as one parent. That may be it, but the only
thing that bothers me, is that the leaves are describe as being
blue-green. As best I can recall the plant I saw had dark green leaves.
I collected what I was hoping were seed
pods from one of these plants. After drying I opened the pods
and removed VERY tiny light tan structures that I presumed to be
seeds (maybe), and planted them. LoŽandŽbehold (and much to my
surprise, tell the truth), they germinated. Here were all these
tiny, 2Žleafed thingys looking up at me. I pricked out 3 dozen
of them and replanted them in individual flats and they seemed to
recover and start growing ok.
Now my question.
What have I got and what should I expect? If these are hybrids
will I get different phenotypes representing the different
parents, or what?
TIA for any light you can shed on this.
Regards,
Ken Osborn
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