Leptospermum, the tea trees, are the workhorses of Australian flowering natives. There are around 80 species, most of them Australian, ranging from ankle high groundcovers to small trees, and nearly all of them share the same virtues: fine aromatic foliage, masses of five petalled flowers that bees adore, and a constitution that handles poor soil, salt wind and neglect better than almost anything else in the nursery. The name comes from Captain Cook's crew brewing the leaves as a tea substitute, which says something about how long these plants have been putting up with people.
The garden forms available now are a long way from scrappy bush plants. Modern cultivars flower in crimson, burgundy, pink, white and cream, some with weeping habits, some with coloured foliage, and most of them stay compact enough for suburban beds. Give them sun and drainage and they are close to unkillable.
Quick facts
| Botanical name | Leptospermum species and cultivars |
| Type | Evergreen native shrub or small tree |
| Height | 0.5 m groundcovers to 5 m trees, variety dependent |
| Position | Full sun to light shade |
| Soil | Well drained; tolerates sandy and poor soils |
| Flowers | White, pink, red or burgundy, mainly spring |
| Climate | Most of Australia; many tolerate moderate frost and coastal wind |
Choosing a leptospermum
Compact and colourful for garden beds
For small gardens the dwarf forms are hard to beat. Nanum Rubrum Tea Tree from $39.95 is a genuine dwarf at around 30 to 60 cm, with bronze red foliage and deep pink flowers, perfect for borders and rockeries. Burgundy Queen from $10.95 grows to about 2 metres with rich burgundy double blooms and dark foliage, while Lemon Frost from $10.95 offers lemon scented foliage on a neat compact bush with white flowers.
Weeping and groundcover forms
Pink Cascade from $10.95 hugs the ground at around half a metre tall and spreads over a metre wide, spilling beautifully over retaining walls with soft pink spring flowers. For a taller weeping effect in warm climates, Weeping Tea Tree from $10.95 makes a graceful 3 to 5 metre small tree with fine silvery foliage.
Screens and small feature trees
Lemon Scented Tea Tree from $10.95 is the classic fast screen at 3 to 5 metres, and brushing past it releases a strong lemon fragrance from the leaves. Cardwell Tea Tree from $39.95 arches with white flowers so dense the branches disappear in spring, and Yellow Tea Tree from $15.95 is a tough east coast species with masses of cream flowers that beekeepers rate highly.
Planting
Full sun gives the best flowering and the densest habit; most varieties accept light shade with a slightly looser result. Drainage is the one non negotiable. In sandy soil, plant straight in. In clay, mound the bed 20 to 30 cm above grade or use raised beds, and mix in coarse organic matter.
Dig the hole twice the pot width, plant level with the surrounding soil, water in with 8 to 10 litres and mulch with 50 mm of chunky mulch kept clear of the stem. Space dwarf forms 50 to 80 cm apart, medium shrubs at 1 to 1.5 metres, and screening varieties like lemon scented tea tree at 1.5 to 2 metres for a dense hedge. Water twice weekly for the first summer, then taper off.
Ongoing care
Watering: Regular deep drinks in the first year, then rainfall does most of the work. Established plants are impressively drought tolerant, though an occasional summer soak keeps flowering strong.
Feeding: A native slow release fertiliser once a year in spring is plenty. Avoid high phosphorus products and avoid overfeeding generally, which produces soft floppy growth at the expense of flowers.
Pruning: This is the secret to good tea trees. Prune lightly every year straight after flowering, taking off a third of the new growth. Never cut back into bare old wood, because most leptospermums will not reshoot from it. An annual trim keeps them dense for decades; ten years of neglect then one hard cut usually ends badly.
Common problems
Webbing caterpillar: Clumps of webbed, chewed foliage, usually in summer. Prune out the webbed sections and dispose of them; severe cases can be sprayed with a caterpillar specific biological spray.
Scale and sooty mould: Black film on leaves means sap suckers above. Spray horticultural oil in the evening, twice, two weeks apart.
Sudden collapse in wet soil: Root rot from poor drainage is the main killer of tea trees. There is no cure once wilted; replant on a mound and water less.
Sparse, leggy growth: Too much shade or no pruning. Move to more sun if young, and start the annual post flowering trim.
Where leptospermum grows in Australia
Tea tree is an Australian native genus of around 85 species, almost all of them endemic here. They grow naturally in heath, coastal scrub, swamp margins and alpine country, which between them cover most conditions an Australian garden can present.
| Location | How it performs |
|---|---|
| Sydney and coastal NSW | Excellent, including exposed headlands and sandy soil |
| Melbourne, Adelaide, Tasmania | Ideal. Cool-climate species flower prolifically |
| Perth | Very good in sandy free-draining soil |
| Brisbane and southeast Queensland | Good with sharp drainage; humidity can bring fungal issues |
| Canberra and cold inland | Frost hardy once established |
| Coastal and salt-exposed sites | Among the toughest options available |
The manuka connection
Leptospermum scoparium is the source of manuka honey, and it is native to both Australia and New Zealand - it grows naturally in Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales as well as across the Tasman. Australian research has confirmed that several native Leptospermum species produce nectar with the same active compound, and an Australian manuka honey industry has developed on that basis.
For a home gardener the practical point is that tea trees are exceptional bee plants. A flowering leptospermum hums, and it supports native bees as well as honeybees.
Do not prune into old wood
This is the mistake that kills established tea trees. Like many Australian natives, leptospermum will not reliably reshoot from bare old wood, so cutting a leggy plant back hard often leaves a permanent dead framework rather than triggering fresh growth.
Tip prune lightly after flowering each year instead, taking only the soft growth. Done consistently from a young age, this keeps the plant dense and compact indefinitely. A plant that has already gone woody and open is usually better replaced than rescued.
Drainage and feeding
Most species want sharp drainage, and root rot in heavy wet soil is the main cause of sudden death - particularly in Brisbane clay through a wet summer. Plant raised on heavy ground. Use a low-phosphorus native fertiliser, since tea trees, like most Australian natives, resent the phosphorus levels in ordinary garden fertiliser.
Frequently asked questions
How fast do leptospermums grow?
Shrub varieties typically put on 30 to 60 cm a year; screening types like lemon scented tea tree can exceed a metre a year once established. Most reach mature size within three to five years.
Are tea trees frost hardy?
Most garden varieties handle moderate frost to around minus 5 degrees once established, with Leptospermum scoparium cultivars among the hardiest. Tropical species like the weeping tea tree prefer frost free gardens.
Can I grow leptospermum in a pot?
Yes, dwarf forms like Nanum Rubrum and compact cultivars do well in pots of 30 cm or more with a native potting mix. Water more often than in ground plants and trim after flowering.
Is this the tea tree that tea tree oil comes from?
No, commercial tea tree oil comes from Melaleuca alternifolia, a close relative. Leptospermum petersonii leaves are lemon scented and Leptospermum honey is prized, but the oil crop is a different plant.
Ready to plant?
Whichever direction you take, tea trees repay very little care with a lot of flowers. Explore more of our native plants, see the full range of flowering plants, or build a boundary from our privacy and screening collection. Check the pot and bag size guide to see what each grade looks like on arrival, and our delivery page for shipping details.
