Bottlebrush MaCarthur (Callistemon)
Original price
$18.00
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Original price
$18.00
Original price
$18.00
$18.00
-
$18.00
Current price
$18.00
MacArthur™ Bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis ‘LC01’) Growing Guide
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Best Growing Environment: The MacArthur™ Bottlebrush thrives as a compact, evergreen shrub in warm, sunny landscapes with good air circulation, making it ideal for Mediterranean-style gardens, coastal areas, hedges, mass plantings, rock gardens, or container accents on patios and terraces. It performs best in well-drained soils of most types (including sandy or clay-loam mixes) and tolerates urban pollution, salt spray, and drought once established, while responding beautifully to chunky mulch that retains moisture and suppresses weeds. This cultivar, a controlled cross between the vigorous ‘Captain Cook’ and compact ‘Little John’ varieties, suits low-maintenance yards where it can attract bees, hummingbirds, and birds with its profuse red blooms without becoming invasive or overly large.
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Botanical Name: Callistemon viminalis ‘LC01’ (also known as MacArthur™ with plant patent PP25,011 or PBR protection). It belongs to the Myrtaceae family and is a selected cultivar of the weeping bottlebrush species native to Australia.
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Common Names: MacArthur™ Bottlebrush, Macarthur Bottlebrush, MacArthur Callistemon, or simply MacArthur red bottlebrush. It is often marketed for its improved flowering and tidy form compared to older bottlebrush varieties.
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Average Height and Diameter: At maturity, this semi-dwarf shrub reaches about 5–7 feet tall (commonly 6 feet) with a spread or diameter of 4–6 feet (typically 5 feet), forming a dense, rounded, mounded habit that stays neat without excessive pruning. Its low canopy makes it suitable under power lines or in smaller spaces.
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Growth Rate: It grows at a medium rate overall with vigorous establishment once planted, quickly developing its bushy, tidy form and reaching mature size in several years under ideal conditions. Expect a lifespan of around 30 years with proper care; the compact genetics from its ‘Little John’ parent prevent it from becoming leggy while inheriting faster flowering vigor from ‘Captain Cook’.
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Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade is ideal, with full sun producing the most intense and prolonged red bottlebrush blooms (mid-spring through late fall). It tolerates part shade but may flower slightly less prolifically in heavier shade.
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Cold Hardiness: This cultivar tolerates light frost and moderate freezes better than many older bottlebrushes, making it reliably hardy in USDA Zone 8a and warmer (generally performing well in Zones 8–10 or 11 in mild-winter regions). Protect young plants from extreme cold snaps in marginal zones, but established specimens handle typical winter lows without issue.
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Water Requirements: Provide regular watering (as needed) for the first 8–13 weeks after planting to help roots establish deeply. Once established, it is quite drought-tolerant and adapts to average-to-moist conditions without drying out completely during peak heat; avoid overwatering in heavy soils to prevent root rot. It performs well with supplemental irrigation only during prolonged dry spells.
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Detailed Fertilizing Guide: MacArthur™ Bottlebrush is low-maintenance and requires minimal fertilizing once established—often none at all in fertile soils. If growth seems slow or foliage pales, apply a slow-release, balanced fertilizer (or a native/Australian-plant formula low in phosphorus to avoid toxicity common in Myrtaceae) in early spring. Use a granular product at the manufacturer’s recommended rate around the drip line, water it in thoroughly, and avoid high-nitrogen formulas that could promote leafy growth at the expense of flowers. Reapply only if needed in subsequent springs; over-fertilizing can reduce bloom quality and invite pests.
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Planting Guide: Choose a site with full sun to part shade and prepare the soil by incorporating chunky mulch after planting to conserve moisture and moderate temperatures. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and twice as wide, gently loosen circling roots, and position the plant at the same depth it was in the nursery pot. Backfill with native or amended soil (no heavy amendments needed due to its soil tolerance), water deeply to settle, and apply 2–3 inches of mulch keeping it away from the trunk. For hedges or screens, space plants 1–1.5 per linear meter (or 1–2 per square meter for massing). It establishes quickly and works equally well in-ground or in large containers (use a quality potting mix and water more frequently in pots). Prune lightly after flowering (1–3 times per year) to maintain shape or encourage density.
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USDA Zone: Hardy in USDA Zone 8a (and warmer zones up to 10–11), where it remains evergreen and flowers reliably through the growing season. In Zone 8a, provide young plants with winter protection the first 1–2 years if extreme cold is forecast.
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