Leptospermum scoparium White - Tea-tree

Leptospermum scoparium 'White',  known as the tea tree or Manuka, is an evergreen Australian bush, perhaps a little tender but not fussy about soil type, and drought resistant. It blooms from spring to summer with beautiful, long-lasting white flowers, like little white flakes with a black centre, scattered along its branches. Its foliage, very fine and dark green, is delicate and aromatic. Cultivation in open ground is reserved for mild climates, but it accepts pot cultivation very well, to be stored away in winter in colder climates.

Originating from the extreme southeast of Australia and New Zealand, Leptospermum scoparium, known in English as Tea tree, is a cousin of Mediterranean myrtles, clove trees and Eucalyptus. It belongs to the same family, the Myrtaceae, and shares with these plants a love of heat but also a foliage rich in essential oil. It grows naturally in regions with a mild coastal climate but also in dry forests, most often on mineral-poor, leached, rather acidic soil, and forms a large bush 3m (10 ft) high and 2m (6 to 7 ft) wide. Its growth is rather slow.

The 'White' form is distinguished by its white flowers, much less discreet than in the species type. This shrub, with a bushy habit and erect branches, has slightly aromatic, alternate, single, pointed, rather small leaves not exceeding one centimetre in length, dark green in colour, with brownish and greyish tinges. The flowers, slightly scented, honey producing and rich in nectar, appear from April-May to July, sometimes from March to December in warmer climates. They are composed of white petals surrounding a dark heart and can reach 2 cm (0.8 in) in diameter. They are followed by small capsules releasing fine elongated seeds. This bush can be lightly pruned after flowering, from May to July.

The 'White' tea tree can withstand temperatures down to -8°C but the aerial parts can be damaged from -5°C. It needs a sheltered spot, in full but not scorching sun. It copes well with sea spray, making it a very beautiful bush for a mixed hedge in seaside gardens. While it prefers neutral to acidic soils, it also tolerates clay-limestone soils according to some experts, provided they are light, loamy and properly drained. 

Leptospermum White is planted as a solitary specimen, or in a group combined with ericaceous plants such as Camellia, azalea, rhododendron, Japanese maple or even Pieris. It can also be used in the creation of an evergreen hedge in the company of Laurustinus, Myrtles, evergreen ceanothus, large cistus (Cistus laurifolius, Citus (x) aguilari), Feijoa, Callistemons and other Grevillea. In regions with very cold winters the plant should be grown in a pot and sheltered from frost all winter long.

Leptospermum means "thin seed" and gets its common English name of tea tree from Captain Cook and his crew, who used its leaves to prevent scurvy.