Callistemon 'Captain Cook'

Callistemon 'Captain Cook'
Hybrid parentage Seedling selection of Callistemon viminalis
Cultivar 'Captain Cook'
Origin Queensland

Callistemon 'Captain Cook' is a cultivar of the plant genus Callistemon, widely grown as an ornamental plant.[1]

History

The cultivar originated as a seedling of Callistemon viminalis. It was noted to have a more dwarf and bushy habit than usual and an abundance of flower buds as a young plant.[1] Originally known and sold as 'Compacta', the name was changed to 'Captain Cook' to mark the 1970 bicentennial of James Cook's voyage to Australia. At a later stage, plants grown from seed were distributed under this name, and the true-to-type variety, which can only be propagated from cuttings became difficult to obtain.[1]

Description

Callistemon 'Captain Cook' grows between 1.5–2 metres (4.9–6.6 ft) high. It forms a dense, slightly weeping shrub.[2] Leaves are narrow and 50 to 60 mm long.[2]

A proliferation of red "brushes" are produced in spring, with further flowering sometimes occurring in late summer or autumn.

Cultivation

Callistemon 'Captain Cook' is most suited to climates ranging from cool-temperate to semi-tropical.[3]

A sunny position enhances flowering, and it performs best when it can be watered during establishment and in spring.[3] It is adaptable to most soils, but prefers well-composted loam.[3] Pruning after flowering helps to maintain the plant's shape.

The cultivar must be propagated from cuttings to maintain its original characteristics.[3] Insect problems include leaf-webbing caterpillars and scale.[3] A small amount of chicken manure or complete plant food applied in spring is also of benefit to growth.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Would the real Callistemon 'Captain Cook' please stand up?". Australian Plants Online. Australian Native Plants Society (Australia). December 1998.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Callistemon 'Captain Cook'". Australian Native Plants Society (Australia). Retrieved 2009-11-30.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Seale, Allan (1988). Garden Companion to Australian Native Plants. Australia: Reed Books. ISBN 0730101878.
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