Callistemon viminalis 'Little John'

RHS Plant Profile
bottlebrush 'Little John'

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bottlebrush 'Little John' RHS
bottlebrush 'Little John' RHS / Joanna Kossak

Synonyms

Callistemon 'Little John'

Conservatory Greenhouse Shrubs
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'Little John' is a dwarf, compact variety to about 1m, with narrow, leathery, aromatic, grey-green leaves and bright red, bottlebrush flowers from late spring to mid-summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
5–10 years
Max Spread
0.5-1 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
West–facing or South–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H3

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Foliage
Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Myrtaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Bushy
Genus
Callistemon are evergreen shrubs with aromatic, linear to lance-shaped leaves and bottlebrush-like spikes of flowers in which the long colourful stamens are prominent
Name Status
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Under glass, grow in peat-free, loam-based potting compost in full light with good ventilation. Outdoors, in milder areas, grow in a very sheltered position in full sun with a moist but well-drained, acid to neutral soil

Propagation

Propagate from semi-hardwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Patio and container plants
  • Mediterranean climate plants
  • Wall side borders

Pruning

Pruning group 8

Pests

May be susceptible to scale insect, mealy bug and glasshouse red spider mite

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus