Callistemon pallidus 'Eleanor'

Eleanor Bottlebrush. This selection of Callistemon was found in a nursery in Washington state and is a seedling of Xera Plants, Inc. I am always looking for a hardier form of this genus which is one of the more xeric plant genera around. We have been offering 'Clemson Hardy' and 'Woodlanders' for a number of years, but about every third year we will get a cold snap which will cut them back to almost ground level. Every time, they have recovered, but then one must wait another growing season to have a good floral display. But this selection was always left outside from my initial purchase, and after the polar vortex of Christmas, 2022, it did not have a burnt leaf on the plant. In addition, this selection also flowered heavily the following spring only 3 months later. Its container was totally unprotected during this weather phenomenon, so its container had to have frozen through and through. This is truly amazing! While containers of 'Clemson Hardy' and 'Woodlanders', only a few feet away, were killed back to the soil line in their containers. The flower color is a vivid magenta-purple and has good staying power. Once established, plants of this genus are some of the most drought tolerant of any woody broadleaf plant. And wonder of wonders, so far even deer have never touched them. And in our neck of the woods, that immediately gives it five stars. Zones 7-10