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shrub

Dwarf bottlebrush 'Little John'

Callistemon viminalis 'Little John'

Preview: plant data is awaiting horticulturist review. A professional horticulturist hasn't reviewed our plant table yet. Lists still follow fixed rules for zone, sun, pets, deer and invasive status.

Dwarf bottlebrush 'Little John' is a slow-growing evergreen shrub hardy in zones 9–10. Expect 3–5 ft of height and 3–5 ft of spread; our lists space it 3.5 ft apart. It does best in full sun with little water once established. Expect red flowers in March to May. In a FloraVista list it usually plays the structure role: a shrub that holds the bed's shape at the back all year. Deer may browse it when other food is short, and it is not listed as toxic to dogs or cats.

Invasive warning: listed as invasive, noxious or banned in Florida. FloraVista never puts it on a list for a yard in that state. Check your state's list before planting.

Facts from our plant table

Botanical name
Callistemon viminalis 'Little John'
Plant type
Shrub, evergreen
Hardiness zones
9 to 10
Sun
Full sun (6+ hours)
Water
Low
Soil
Needs good drainage; tolerates heat and poor soil.
Mature size
3–5 ft tall × 3–5 ft wide
Spacing
3.5 ft apart (centre to centre)
Growth rate
Slow
Bloom
Mar–May · red
Roles in a bed
Structure
Styles
modern, low water
Deer resistance
Medium: browsed when deer are hungry
Pets
Not listed as toxic to dogs or cats. Bottlebrush (Callistemon) is listed non-toxic to dogs and cats by the ASPCA.
Native to
Not native to the US (or a garden hybrid)
Pot size and price
3-gallon pot, typically $25–$40 (easy to find)
Plant in
Spring or Fall
First-year watering
Water weekly through the first summer to root it in, then taper off; established plants need little extra water.
Pruning
Trim lightly after flowering to keep it dense.

Sources: UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions and EDIS fact sheets; ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list; Rutgers NJAES deer resistance ratings (A-D); Florida Invasive Species Council list (weeping bottlebrush, Category II, central and south FL); typical 2026 US garden-centre and big-box listings. Not yet reviewed by a horticulturist.

Good companions

The plants our list engine most often puts in the same bed as Dwarf bottlebrush 'Little John', across the sun, zone, pet, deer and style combinations it fits.

If you can't find it

Substitutes our engine offers for Dwarf bottlebrush 'Little John': same role in the bed, passing the same rules. Some of them are flagged toxic to dogs or cats: check the pet note before you swap.

How this page was made

This page was generated from this plant's record in FloraVista's plant table by fixed rules. The companions and substitutes come from the lists our rules engine composes. No named expert has reviewed this page.

Data status: the plant table is awaiting review by a horticulturist. Check each plant with a local nursery or extension office before you buy.

Sources

  • Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, state extension services and the USDA PLANTS database (zones, size, sun, water, bloom, native range)
  • ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists (dog and cat toxicity)
  • Rutgers NJAES and regional extension deer-resistance ratings
  • State noxious-weed and invasive-plant lists and the Invasive Plant Atlas of the US
  • Typical US garden-centre listings (pot size and price band)

Generated . How FloraVista chooses plants