Callistemon 'Captain Cook'
Encyclopedia
Callistemon 'Captain Cook' is a widely-grown cultivar
of the plant genus
Callistemon. It grows between 1.5 and 2 metres high and forms a dense, slightly weeping shrub. A proliferation of red "brushes" are produced in spring, with further flowering sometimes occurring in late summer or autumn. Leaves are narrow and 50 to 60 mm long.
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. 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.
The cultivar must be propagated from cuttings to maintain its original characteristics.
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
of the plant genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Callistemon. It grows between 1.5 and 2 metres high and forms a dense, slightly weeping shrub. A proliferation of red "brushes" are produced in spring, with further flowering sometimes occurring in late summer or autumn. Leaves are narrow and 50 to 60 mm long.
The cultivar originated as a seedling of Callistemon viminalis
Callistemon viminalis
Callistemon viminalis, also known as Weeping Bottlebrush, is a shrub or small tree in the family Myrtaceae. It is native to the states of New South Wales and Queensland in Australia where it often occurs along watercourses....
. It was noted to have a more dwarf and bushy habit than usual and an abundance of flower buds as a young plant. Originally known and sold as 'Compacta', the name was changed to 'Captain Cook' to mark the 1970 bicentennial of James Cook
James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
'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.
Cultivation
The cultivar is most suited to climates ranging from cool-temperate to semi-tropical. It is adaptable to most soils, but prefers well-composted loam. A sunny position enhances flowering, and it performs best when it can be watered during establishment and in spring. A small amount of chicken manure or complete plant food applied in spring is also of benefit to growth. Pruning after flowering helps to maintain the plants shape. Insect problems include leaf-webbing caterpillars and scale.The cultivar must be propagated from cuttings to maintain its original characteristics.