Tea Tree Rudolph

Tea Tree 'Rudolph' (Leptospermum 'Rudolph') is the native shrub to plant when you want a hedge that actually flowers. It grows to about 2.5m tall and 2m wide, fast enough to close a boundary in a couple of seasons, carrying deep rose red double blooms against bronze new growth. Plant it 1m apart and you get a screen that feeds birds and pollinators instead of just blocking a view.

Why you'll love it

• Double flowers in deep rose red. Fuller than the single flowered tea trees, and the spring flush is heavy enough to half hide the foliage.
• Bronze new growth. Fresh shoots come away copper toned before hardening to green, so a trimmed hedge looks deliberate.
• Native, and it earns its keep. A selection of the Australian and New Zealand tea trees, it draws nectar feeding birds, bees and butterflies.
• Built for exposed and coastal blocks. Salt tolerant, wind tolerant, frost hardy and drought tolerant once established, a rare combination in a flowering shrub.

Where it works best

Screening and hedging. Plant 1m apart in a single row for a dense screen. At 2.5m it covers a standard fence line and screens a seating area.

Mass planting. On a bank or wide bed, the same 1m spacing gives a continuous drift of colour with little work once it knits together.

Feature planting. As a single shrub it keeps a loose, informal shape that suits a native or cottage bed better than a clipped ball.

Growing Tea Tree 'Rudolph' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering and the densest growth. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate, Mediterranean and subtropical gardens. In humid subtropical districts pick an open spot with air moving through the plant.

Soil. Free draining soil is the one real requirement: tea trees resent wet feet, so on clay build the bed up 200mm or plant on a mound. Mulch 75mm deep, off the stems.

Water and feed. Water twice a week through the first summer, then taper off as the roots go down. Use a low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring, since standard blends carry more phosphorus than natives want.

Pruning. Trim lightly straight after flowering, taking no more than a third of the new growth. Tea trees reshoot poorly from bare old wood, so a hedge left to get away cannot simply be cut back hard.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes as tube stock or as established 200mm plants in packs of six. Tubes are the value option for a long boundary and catch up quickly given water and mulch, though they take a season longer to close. The 200mm plants arrive already branched, the practical choice when you want the screen sooner.

Some flower drop in transit is normal. Expect roots first and visible new growth within four to six weeks in warm weather. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete Leptospermum care guide
• Browse Australian native shrubs
• Compare hedging and screening plants
• Other bird attracting plants

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row. That lets each plant reach its full 2m width while the canopies overlap, so the screen reads solid without the plants starving each other.

How hard can I prune it?

Lightly and often, always into leafy growth. Cutting back into bare wood usually leaves a stub that never reshoots, so keep to a light trim after each flowering rather than an annual hard cut.

Will it cope near the coast?

Yes. It is salt tolerant and wind tolerant. Give it drainage and full sun and it handles coastal exposure better than most flowering shrubs.

Does it handle frost?

It is frost hardy, so cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens are well within range. Young plants still benefit from shelter through their first winter while the root system is small.