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Little John bottlebrush Melaleuca viminalis 'Little John'
Previously known as Callistemon 'Little John', Callistemon viminalis 'Little John'
A cultivar of Melaleuca viminalis
When it flowers
- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, flowering
- April, flowering
- May, flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, not flowering
- September, flowering
- October, flowering
- November, flowering
- December, not flowering
Dwarf bottlebrush with dense blue-green leaves and dark red brushes, ideal for low hedges.
A compact bottlebrush that forms a neat, dense mound of blue-green foliage, studded with short, dark red brushes in spring and again in autumn. One of the most popular natives for low borders and pots.
In the garden
- Flowers
- Short, dark red bottlebrush spikes.
- Leaves
- Small, narrow, dense blue-green leaves.
- Attracts
- Birds and pollinating insects
Growing conditions
- Climate
- Subtropical and temperate
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Soil
- Sandy, loam and clay
- Drainage
- Copes with occasional wet
- Frost
- Light frost
- Water
- Some dry spells
- Coast
- Sheltered coastal gardens
Planting and care
- Grown from
- Cuttings
Planting
Sun or part shade. Space 80 cm apart for a low hedge.
Pruning
Trim lightly after each flush of flowers to keep it dense.
Care
Water through long dry spells. Usually trouble-free; prune out tips webbed by sawfly larvae.
Where it comes from
- Family
- Myrtaceae
- Order
- Myrtales
- Native to
- Garden origin
Where to buy
Widely available.
We don't have stockists listed for this plant yet. Local native nurseries are often the best place to ask.
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Further reading
- Melaleuca viminalis 'Little John' on the Atlas of Living Australia (Atlas of Living Australia)
Native nurseries near you
An independent list of nurseries that specialise in Australian native plants. Nobody pays to be on it. Distances are approximate and in a straight line. Opening hours and stock vary, so check before you go.