Little John Dwarf Bottlebrush

Little John is a compact, rounded bottlebrush with narrow, aromatic gray-green foliage and bright red flower spikes. Its modest size suits low hedges, borders, containers and mixed native plantings where a larger bottlebrush would take too much room. ## Form and flowering The [Royal Horticultural Society](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/54865/callistemon-viminalis-little-john/details) and [South Australian Plant Selector](https://plantselector.botanicgardens.sa.gov.au/Plants/Details/2946) describe this dwarf selection at about 0.5–1 m tall and wide. The RHS reports flowers from late spring to mid-summer; the South Australian source lists spring blooms and notes that the nectar attracts birds and insects. The cultivar name is the most consistent way to identify this selection. ## Growing conditions Choose a sunny position for best flowering; the South Australian Plant Selector also lists partial shade. Use well-drained soil. The RHS lists clay, loam and sand for this selection, and the South Australian source lists minimal supplementary watering. ## Maintenance Prune lightly after flowering to keep a dense, rounded outline. Avoid cutting far back into bare wood. Check occasionally for scale or other common shrub pests.