- Little john bottle brush shrub
Botanical name: Melaleuca viminalis
Beginner friendly?: yes
Average size at maturity: Slowly reaches just 3 ft. tall, 4ft. wide.
Bloom time: Spring to summer; longer in temperate regions
Hardy zone: Zones 9-11
Flower color: red
Foliage color: green/blue
Growth rate: about 10 inches a year
Pruning instructions: Can handle light pruning to maintain shape and size any time of the year. Heavy pruning should only be done in the late winter/early spring
Propagation methods: cut a stem just below a node and place in water until roots start to emerge
Landscape use: Border, Container, Hedge
Light needs: 6 – 8 hours of sun a day
Special features: dwarf shrub, showy spikes of crimson catkins, drought tolerant, deer resistant
Watering instructions: needs weekly watering during periods without rain
Fertilizing instructions : Use a high in phosphorus fertilizer once a month during growing season
Best time to plant: spring
Best type of soil: adapts to all types of soil
Companion plants: agave, sedum, maiden grass
Toxicity level: non-toxic for humans and pets
Invasive species: no
