bottlebush pruning

Question

my bottlebush was affected by an unusually heavy freeze this winter. The leaves are a grey (ish) color and some a brown.

Is it possible to generate regrowth of leaves by pruning away the apparent dead growth or will they just naturally regenerate new leaves?

Thank you.

Answer 1

If the freeze lasted more than a day or two, the branch may have died. Often an injured plant will push out new leaves in a few weeks. I would fertilize it lightly – about half the usual strength – and wait to see what happens when temps return to normal. Tips of branches are most at risk and you may need to trim them back. If you scratch the bark gently, you should see green underneath it. This thin green ring just under the bark is where all the water and nutrients flow. The center of a young branch should be white or off-white. If it isn’t, and there is no green ring, the branch is dead at that point. Keep cutting back until you reach healthy-looking ring and pith (center). There are several plants commonly referred to as bottlebrush. I assumed that you are referring to Callistemon.