🌿 Callistemon viminalis ‘Better John’
Callistemon viminalis ‘Better John’ is a compact, blue-green Bottlebrush renowned for its tidy form, vibrant red flowers, and exceptional hardiness in Victorian landscapes. This improved selection of the popular ‘Little John’ offers denser foliage, richer colour, and superior performance in a wider range of soils — including clay. ‘Better John’ thrives in full sun, tolerates drought, coastal exposure, and frost, and flowers generously throughout spring and summer. Ideal for Melbourne, Geelong, the Mornington Peninsula, and inland regions, it’s a low-maintenance native shrub perfect for borders, mass planting, native gardens, and year-round structure with brilliant seasonal colour.
🌱 Care Guide — Callistemon ‘Better John’
Light: Full sun for best flowering and dense growth.
Soil: Adapts to most soils including clay, sandy loam, and mildly alkaline sites.
Water: Low to moderate; water regularly during establishment.
Fertiliser: Use a native slow-release fertiliser in spring.
Pruning: Lightly tip-prune after flowering to maintain shape and encourage more blooms.
Position: Superb for borders, native gardens, mass planting, pathways, and feature shrub use.
Growth Rate: Moderate; typically 70–90 cm high and wide, forming a neat, rounded dome.
Pests/Disease: Generally very reliable; good airflow supports optimal growth.
Extra: Excellent choice for attracting birds and pollinators.
🏷️ Perfect for Low Borders
Callistemon viminalis ‘Better John’ is a compact, beautifully rounded native bottlebrush with stunning blue-green foliage and bright red flowers that light up the landscape. An improved form with denser growth and stronger performance than the popular ‘Little John’, this hardy shrub thrives across Victorian conditions — from clay soils to coastal landscapes. Perfect for low borders, mass planting, native garden designs, and small garden spaces, ‘Better John’ delivers colour, structure, and wildlife appeal with minimal maintenance. A standout feature shrub that offers reliability and beauty all year round.
