Dwarf NZ Christmas Bush

Dwarf NZ Christmas Bush (Metrosideros 'Little Ollie') gives you the crimson summer flowers of a pohutukawa on a shrub that stops at about 1.2m tall and 1m wide. The foliage is small, neat and evergreen, and it holds its shape where salt spray and wind burn softer plants. Planted 60cm apart it knits into a low hedge that needs one trim a year.

Why you'll love it

• Crimson bottlebrush flowers through summer. The nectar rich blooms pull honeyeaters, bees and butterflies in over the warmest months.
• Small enough for a real garden. At 1.2m by 1m it fits a border, a courtyard bed or a pot without swallowing the space.
• Built for exposed sites. Salt, wind and drought tolerant once established, so a front line coastal boundary does not defeat it.
• Very little upkeep. One trim after flowering holds the shape, and it asks for no staking or spraying.

Where it works best

Low hedging and edging. Plant 60cm apart in a single row for a dense hedge around 1m high. That spacing lets each plant fill out properly, and the row reads as solid by the second season.

Coastal gardens. Salt and wind tolerance make it a rare shrub for the exposed side of a beach house, useful as a low windbreak in front of taller planting.

Pots and small gardens. A pot 400mm or wider suits a balcony or courtyard, and slow growth means repotting only every three or four years.

Growing Dwarf NZ Christmas Bush in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering and the tightest habit; part shade is tolerated but the shrub stays looser. This suits warm temperate, subtropical and Mediterranean gardens. It takes light frost only, so cold inland districts and the tablelands are better growing it in a pot that can shift to shelter over winter.

Soil. Drainage matters more than fertility. Sandy and poor soils are fine, but heavy clay needs a raised mound and compost through the bed. Keep 75mm of mulch clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Water deeply once a week through the first summer, then taper off as the roots go down. A controlled release shrub fertiliser in early spring is enough for the year.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting to build density, then trim once flowering finishes in late summer. It reshoots from old wood slowly, so favour light regular trims over one hard cutback.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in two sizes. Tube stock is young and single stemmed, the sensible choice for a long low hedge, taking roughly two seasons to close up. The 300mm plants arrive branched and near flowering size, so they suit a pot or a short run where you want an immediate result.

Plants are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Being slow growing, it stays quiet for a month after planting, then grows steadily through spring and summer. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Choosing plants for a coastal garden
• Browse salt tolerant coastal plants
• Compare shrubs for small gardens
• NZ Christmas Bush Velvet Sky for the same flowers at about 2m

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

Sixty centimetres apart in a single row. Any tighter and the plants compete without closing the gap faster, which only makes watering and feeding harder.

Will it flower in the first summer?

The 300mm plants usually do, though the display is light while the roots establish. Tube stock generally needs a season or two before it flowers well.

Can I grow it in a pot long term?

Yes. Use a pot at least 400mm wide with free draining mix and a working drainage hole. Potted plants dry out faster, so check them twice a week in summer.

Will it survive frost?

Light frost only. A few cold mornings will not hurt an established plant, but repeated hard frost damages the growth tips and eventually the whole shrub.