Little John Dwarf Red Bottlebrush

Callistemon citrinus ‘Little John’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 8a–11 Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Evergreen Flowering Shrub

Height at Maturity: 2-3′

Width at Maturity: 3′

Spacing: 2-2.5′ for solid hedges; 6’+ for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Mounding, Dense

Growth Rate: Moderate to Fast

Flower Color: Deep Red

Flower Size: 3-4″ in length

Flowering Period: Spring to Summer and nearly year round in temperate regions

Flower Type: Cylindrical, Bottlebrush-like

Fragrant Flowers: No

Foliage Color: Blue Green

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: No

Berry Color: NA

Sun Needs: Full to Mostly Sun, Some Shade is tolerated

Water Needs: Average

Soil Type: Clay (Amended), Loam, Sandy, Silty

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained Moist

Soil pH: 6.0 – 8.0 (Acid to Slightly Alkaline)

Maintenance / Care: Average to Low

Attracts: Visual Attention, Butterflies, Birds

Resistances: Deer, Disease, Drought, Dry Soil, Heat, Insect

Description

Unlike larger and taller growing varieties, Little John is a dense, dwarf Bottlebrush ideal for use in smaller gardens or in groupings or as low hedges in larger landscape spaces and home foundation plantings. The attractive and citrus-scented ocean blue-green foliage stays green year round and is the perfect backdrop for the abundant and unusual looking, deep crimson red bottlebrush-like flower spikes that cover the plant in spring and continue well into summer. Year round good looks and exceptional drought tolerance and adaptability make Little John a fine selection for the landscape, and the butterflies and hummingbirds will appreciate you for planting it!

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing only 2 to 3 feet tall and maybe 4 feet wide over time, the Better John Bottlebrush is ideal for use as an accent in smaller garden spaces and pots, planters and other containers, which can be overwintered indoors for those who live above Zone 8a. In larger landscape borders it’s ideal for use in groupings, as a low border shrub along paths, walkways and landscape borders, as an erosion controller on slopes, or as a colorful low hedge. A fine addition to red theme gardens, tropical gardens, butterfly gardens, hummingbird gardens, coastal gardens, and the Xeriscape (low water needs).

Suggested Spacing: 2 to 2.5 feet apart for hedges; 6′ or more apart for space between plants

Growing Preferences

The Little John Bottlebrush is exceptionally easy to grow in most any well-drained soil. Prefers full sun but will tolerate some shade. Plants will require a moist but well-drained soil when young but established plants are very heat and drought tolerant. Good salt air tolerance. Bottlebrush have very few if any insect or disease problems, and deer won’t touch them!

Helpful Articles

Click on the link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant, fertilize, prune and water Callistemon Bottlebrush shrubs.

How To Plant & Care For Bottlebrush Plants

Plant Long & Prosper!

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Dwarf Little John Bottlebrush arrived in good shape. Packaged well. So far so good.————————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Have wanted this cultivar for years. Found it at Wilson Bros, but the plant was out of stock. Asked for and received notification when it was back in stock. 4 days later, the plant was in my hands! It was received in perfect condition–extremely healthy-looking and expertly packed. Did I mention free shipping? The whole process was flawlessly smooth. Many thanks.———————————Wow! Thanks for the photo, it’s beautiful! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG