Tea Tree

Tea Tree 'Seclusion' (Leptospermum 'Seclusion') is an Australian native bred to do one job well: close a boundary quickly and stay closed. It grows to about 3m tall and 2m wide, fills out fast from the base, and smothers itself in small white flowers in spring. For a fence line that needs height without the bulk of a lilly pilly, this is a sound answer.

Why you'll love it

• It closes a gap quickly. Fast growing and naturally dense, so a row planted this season is doing real screening work by the next.
• The right height for a fence. Around 3m tall and 2m wide, which lifts privacy above a standard boundary fence without shading the whole yard.
• Made for exposed blocks. Wind tolerant, salt tolerant, frost hardy and drought tolerant once established.
• A spring show that feeds wildlife. Masses of small white flowers bring native bees and butterflies, and the twiggy growth shelters small birds.

Where it works best

Screening and hedging. Plant 1m apart in a single row for a dense screen. The canopies meet and read as solid within two to three seasons, and each plant keeps enough light low down to stay furnished to the ground.

Windbreaks. On an exposed block, a double staggered row at 1m spacing filters wind rather than stopping it dead, which is what protects the garden behind.

Coastal gardens and feature planting. Salt laden wind does not trouble it, so it holds up on a beachside boundary where many screening plants brown off.

Growing Tea Tree 'Seclusion' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, without compromise. In shade the growth thins out and the screening value goes with it. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens and takes frost once established. It is less reliable in the wet tropics and in hot arid inland districts.

Soil. Free draining, on the acidic side, and not necessarily rich. Tea trees are more often lost to wet feet than to hunger, so on clay build a raised mound at least 200mm high. Mulch 50mm deep, off the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then reduce to occasional soaks. Feed once in early spring with a low phosphorus native fertiliser, since standard fertilisers carry too much phosphorus for this group.

Pruning. Tip prune from the day you plant, then trim lightly after flowering each year. Little and often is the rule, because tea trees are unreliable at reshooting from bare old wood.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in two sizes: tube stock, and 250mm plants sold in packs of three. Tube stock is the sensible choice for a long boundary, since tea trees establish quickly from small sizes and a tube run often catches a larger planting within two years. The 250mm plants are branched and give visible height from the start.

Some leaf drop after transit is normal. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee. Expect roughly a month of settling in, then strong growth through the first warm season.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read our tea tree growing and pruning guide.
• Compare our 2m to 4m screening range.
• See our windbreak plant collection.
• Browse more Australian native shrubs.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

One metre apart in a single row. Tighter spacing does not close the screen sooner and makes watering harder, while wider spacing leaves visible gaps for several extra seasons.

How quickly will it screen a fence?

In a sunny position with water through the first summer, expect useful screening in the second year and a solid wall by the third.

Can I keep it below 3m?

Yes, an annual light trim after flowering holds it at 2m to 2.5m. Trim while the growth is still soft and green, since cutting back into bare wood risks leaving a permanent hole.