Little John Dwarf (Callistemon)...help

[Coach]

Got a little cold for this guy. Leaves (should be green)...now they are toast and falling off. Still passes the scratch test.

In preservation mode. Is it best to leave it alone and just baby it or can I improve its chances of surviving by cutting the branches back (which I want to do anyway)?

Thanks

 

[Starfox]

Is there any green at all on the leaves, even just one of them?
If so then it's possible to save it, if not but there is green on the scratch test then you may get lucky too but it's harder to tell.

Basically it has dried out at some point, Callies love wet feet even in nursery containers.
I have had this happen to me and as long as there is green somewhere I have had them eventually bounce back by just keeping the soil moist at all times and in the spring if they are going to they will bud out again. I would also protect from frosts but other than that leave it in full sun.

I wouldn't cut it back personally because you never know which part might be dead and which living plus when it is fully healthy again you can cut back hard if you have to. It will put you a season or two behind but with care you may save it. It looks a 50 50 call really.

 

[Coach]

Got it...weird weather lately...I don't know if it ever actually dried out, I water quite often but it has been 70 degrees one day and 22 the next and then back up and down for the last 30 days here. I collected it two springs ago and have always protected it...I let it ride outside this year through the tough stuff...oops

It does still have some green on the leaves and every single branch scratches green. I do think it will come through. I just wanted to give it some assistance if cutting back would help.

 

[Starfox]

I have one in the same state now plus cuttings tend to do the same but in my experience as long as they are kept damp with regular water and there is some type of green somewhere they do come back, still a fingers crossed type of thing but they are tough. It was the wind that got mine at the change from summer, temps were down so it didn't need as much water but we had a long windy period and I saw how dry it got and sure enough if dried up within a week or so. Repeated mistakes are the worst.

I don't think cutting back is the best idea on a sick tree even if it might handle it, just wait for new growth in spring and assess it, you have a lovely trunk there so maybe a bit of dead wood may give some character.

 

[Coach]

I have one in the same state now plus cuttings tend to do the same but in my experience as long as they are kept damp with regular water and there is some type of green somewhere they do come back, still a fingers crossed type of thing but they are tough. It was the wind that got mine at the change from summer, temps were down so it didn't need as much water but we had a long windy period and I saw how dry it got and sure enough if dried up within a week or so. Repeated mistakes are the worst.

I don't think cutting back is the best idea on a sick tree even if it might handle it, just wait for new growth in spring and assess it, you have a lovely trunk there so maybe a bit of dead wood may give some character.

Thank you Starfox. I have been letting this one grow and bloom the past few seasons. I planned to reduce the tree in height by at least half to accentuate the trunk...already swirling deadwood there. If it survives it looks like that height reduction will take care of itself

I appreciate your detailed help here. I will be sure to keep it moist the rest of the winter. Thanks again- Coach

 

[Starfox]

No worries, I do hope that yours pulls through.

They are my favourite species and would love to see an update later on, for better or worse.

 

[Coach]

Update:

Well, sometimes near death moments in life bring a fresh new perspective and joy.

My little Bottle Brush made it afterall and decided to bud out lower on the trunk. I've always wanted a shorter more powerful tree with this one so I reduced the long awkward upper trunk by over half...on our way now. The plan is to go even shorter as it fully recovers and eventually pot it up in a nice colorfully glazed shallow round.

Thanks for looking

 

[Starfox]

Excellent news, looking good too.

 

[my nellie]

So very happy for your tree! Looks very promising! Has got strong will, too!

 

[Shima]

Great trunk! These need to be cut way back every winter to bloom. Here's mine cut back and leafed out back in past years.
1st one 3 years ago in a cream pot I couldn't correct the glare on. So next year I painted it just to see. Then this April just cut back. It's scary to cut it back so hard but in a few weeks tiny red buds break on old wood. Whew! And if you google Bruce Winter bottlebrush bonsai it's the 1st one on the right in an oribe (green) pot when Wayne Schoech put it up on bonsai Bark. Scroll down 7 images to see it on the page.

 

[Shima]

Here it is today. Glaring white even though it was overcast. So I toned it down to show the true color of the new pot I got from Yamafusa kiln. Thank you Keiichi Hanaori!

 

[milehigh_7]

Update:

Well, sometimes near death moments in life bring a fresh new perspective and joy.

My little Bottle Brush made it afterall and decided to bud out lower on the trunk. I've always wanted a shorter more powerful tree with this one so I reduced the long awkward upper trunk by over half...on our way now. The plan is to go even shorter as it fully recovers and eventually pot it up in a nice colorfully glazed shallow round.

Thanks for looking

Just saw the thread and was going to say I bet it pulls through because this happens to mine often then I noticed it was from January so I read down. Glad to see my thoughts were right. That does not happen as often as I would like.

 

[Shima]

Here it is today. Glaring white even though it was overcast. So I toned it down to show the true color of the new pot I got from Yamafusa kiln. Thank you Keiichi Hanaori!View attachment 146722 View attachment 146723

Ready for wire...

 

[Shima]

Here's what Craigm has to say about cutting back:If you want it to flower I suggest doing a hard trim back about5 to 6 months prior to when it would/should(in your area), early to mid winter . Do not trim it at all after that until it flowers late winter early Spring.

 

[Shima]

Great trunk! These need to be cut way back every winter to bloom. Here's mine cut back and leafed out back in past years.
1st one 3 years ago in a cream pot I couldn't correct the glare on. So next year I painted it just to see. Then this April just cut back. It's scary to cut it back so hard but in a few weeks tiny red buds break on old wood. Whew! And if you google Bruce Winter bottlebrush bonsai it's the 1st one on the right in an oribe (green) pot when Wayne Schoech put it up on bonsai Bark. Scroll down 7 images to see it on the page. View attachment 146718 View attachment 146719 View attachment 146720

oops I meant left.