{"product_id":"callistemon-rigidus","title":"Callistemon rigidus","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCallistemon rigidus\u003c\/strong\u003e, the \u003cstrong\u003estiff bottlebrush\u003c\/strong\u003e, is regarded as one of the toughest of all the bottlebrushes and a brilliant way to bring a burst of Australian colour to an exotic planting scheme. Through summer the branch tips carry dense spikes of deep red, brush-shaped flowers packed with nectar, held against narrow, rigid, dark green leaves that stay on the plant all year.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLike the rest of the genus it still needs a little thought: RHS rated H3, it is happiest in milder and coastal gardens, and appreciates a warm, sheltered spot with its back to a sunny wall in colder areas. Some UK nurseries report established plants in dry, sheltered positions shrugging off frosts approaching -10C, but young plants should always be fleeced in a hard freeze.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow and where to grow\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePosition:\u003c\/strong\u003e full sun, sheltered; south or west facing.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e well-drained clay, loam or sand; acid to neutral.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e around 1.5 to 2.5m tall and wide after 10 to 20 years.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e H3; protect from hard frost and avoid winter wet.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eWater well through the first couple of summers, after which it is impressively drought tolerant and a natural fit for \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/coastal-plants\"\u003ecoastal and exposed gardens\u003c\/a\u003e. It also makes an excellent shrub for a hot patio; browse our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pots\"\u003eplants for pots\u003c\/a\u003e for companions. The nectar-rich brushes are magnets for bees and other \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pollinators\"\u003epollinators\u003c\/a\u003e, and the deep red spikes pair beautifully with the creamy brushes of its cousin \u003ca href=\"\/products\/callistemon-salignus\"\u003eCallistemon salignus\u003c\/a\u003e in an \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/exotic-border-plants\"\u003eexotic border\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eExplore the rest of our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/hardy-exotics\"\u003ehardy exotics\u003c\/a\u003e and read \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/hardy-exotics-what-to-expect\"\u003ewhat to expect from our outdoor plants\u003c\/a\u003e before ordering.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"GROW TROPICALS","offers":[{"title":"9cm \/ 0.5L","offer_id":58282694476159,"sku":"CALLIRIGI9","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0361\/9645\/0348\/files\/rn-image_picker_lib_temp_afa8c68d-11e5-46f9-aad3-8a98aa8e29f9.jpg?v=1787928364","url":"https:\/\/growtropicals.com\/products\/callistemon-rigidus","provider":"GrowTropicals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}