Leptospermum Scoparium
There are types of plants out there that will baffle you. Not only with their beauty, but all sorts of different uses other than their ornamental value. One plant such as this, is l scoparium. This is a shrubby tree that is part of the myrtle botanical family (myrtaceae), making it cousins with the narrow leaved paperbark shrub (melaleuca alternifolia).
Leptospermum scoparium is the latin term for the New Zealand tea tree. Some other common names you may hear it under are manuka, manuka myrtle, or broom tea tree. And yes, you may have heard the word manuka before when you were in Whole Foods and noticed a very fancy jar of honey called Manuka honey.
This article will go through all you need to know about this incredible flowering plant; where it grows, how it grows, how you can help it grow, and some very surprising uses you would have never guessed!
What do New Zealand Teatree’s Look Like?
Growth Habit
The New Zealand tea tree is a large shrub or small tree that can grow anywhere from 4 feet up to 49 feet tall! They are a densely branching plant type that creates a very bushy and full canopy, giving it a rounded crown appearance.
This is a very prolific small tree and it is a pioneer species. This means that these plants will be one of the very first plant types to populate an area after there has been a disturbance, like a fire, flood, earthquake, or clearing.
Leaves
The New Zealand tea tree is an evergreen species. This means that it has leaves that will remain green and persist all year long, regardless of the season.
The leaves of this plant don’t actually look like leaves at all, and instead has needle-like leaves. Each leaf has a needle shape to it, more similar to that of a hemlock tree needle than that of a pine tree needle.
These needles aren’t too pointy at the tip, and you can easily brush your hand along the leaves and they won’t prick you. They have a much more gentle texture than they appear.
Flowers
Once a New Zealand tea tree blooms, it is quite a sight to behold. Flowers blossom along all the stem lengths of the tree, creating quite a flurry of color.
Each flower is quite tiny, with 5 perfectly circular petals. The flower color will usually be white, but some varieties have bright pink flowers and sometimes even ruby red flowers.
New Zealand tea tree flowers will usually bloom in the early summer and last well into the fall. Tons of pollinating species are extremely attracted to these trees, and once in bloom, they will quickly turn your property into a butterfly sanctuary.
What are some other Tea Tree Types?
Ruby Glow
The ruby glow tea tree is a very popular garden cultivar. It is a stunning evergreen shrub with small, dark green needles that are aromatic when crushed, and have a pink tinge to them if the plant is growing in a cooler climate.
This tea tree type can be identified by its densely branching growth habit, flaky bark, and gorgeous ruby red double flowers. These flowers bloom in the late spring or early summer.
Helene Strybing
The Helene Strybing is a tea tree cultivar that is incredibly popular amongst gardeners. It is a reasonable size, only growing to be between 6 and 10 feet tall.
This variety can be identified by its near branch structure, flaky bark, and its deeply pink flower blossoms that resemble roses and bloom in the late spring. Pollinators are specifically attracted to this tree.
Australian Tea Tree
The Australian tea tree (leptospermum laevigatum) is another member of the leptospermum genus, but it is endemic to Australia. It is also called the coast tea tree.
This tea tree type varies in quite a few ways. It only grows to be 4-19 feet tall, and instead of needles it has narrow, egg shaped leaves. It also grows large white flowers, but they are still borne all along the tree branches.
Where is the New Zealand Tea Tree a Native Plant?
If you’ve been wondering to yourself, “why is it that I’ve never seen one of these trees before?” that’s because they have a very restricted natural growing range! This species only grows in eastern Australia and New Zealand!
Now before you get discouraged, there are ways for gardeners to incorporate one of these amazing flowering plant types on your property even if they don’t live in Australia or New Zealand.
These trees can exist outdoors in USDA zone 9 and 10, and live outside all year long. Outside of these zones, they can live outside in the warmer months, but should be brought inside as a houseplant as soon as temperatures dip.
Folks living outside of zones 9 and 10 will have to grow their trees in a large pot or container so that they can easily be brought inside when necessary. Luckily these trees won’t grow too big when growing in a container!
What are the Ideal Growing Conditions of the New Zealand Tea Tree?
Now that you know all the fundamentals of what a New Zealand tea tree is and where it comes from, it’s time to learn all about what it takes to keep one happy! New Zealand tea tree care is wonderfully simple, and it can be easily incorporated into your regular plant care routine.
Soil Type
Something really cool about the New Zealand tea tree is that it is wonderfully adaptable. They can tolerate all different sorts of soils, though there is a specific soil type that will make them feel right at home.
These trees will be happiest if they can exist in soil that is very well draining. This is because they like moisture too, but don’t like waterlogged soil.
They also appreciate living in soil that is rich in nutrients and more on the acidic side. A way to accomplish all of this is by amending your soil with some compost at the beginning of the growing season.
Compost not only encourages proper drainage, but it also increases the overall nutrient content of the soil. Adding some peat moss to the mix will help raise the acidity as well!
Water Level
The main thing to remember with New Zealand tea trees is that they like to be moist. They are used to living in regions that receive a ton of precipitation and high humidity for the majority of the year.
Moist soil should be constantly maintained, and this can be 1-2 inches per week. These shrubs can tolerate dry climates as long as they are watered profusely (to help make up for that lack of humidity).
Sun Exposure
New Zealand tea trees are sun loving creatures. This means that they should be receiving a minimum of 6-8 hours of direct sunlight every single day. Though they are tolerant to partial shade, this can sometimes result in a less enthusiastic season for flower blossoms.
Temperature
The most important thing to remember about New Zealand tea tree care is that these plants are not very cold hardy. They will perish if they are left out to frost or winter temperatures.
They can tolerate temperatures as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit. As soon as temperatures regularly dip below that, they should be brought indoors and kept as a houseplant for the cold winter months. Your tree can be brought outside again in the early spring again once things warm up.
Fertilizer
A New Zealand tea tree will respond very well to fertilizer, and it can be applied in a variety of ways. Incorporating compost at the beginning of the growing season is a great way to do this.
It will also help your plants out a lot of you had a thick layer of mulch around the plant to help keep in warm during the colder months. Otherwise, using a balanced fertilizer every 2-3 years will get the job done!
Pruning
New Zealand tea trees having a very neat and tidy growth habit and don’t really need much from you in terms of pruning! The best time of year for pruning will be right after the plant has finished flowering, and all you need to snip away are the shoots that are damaged or diseased.
Pruning helps encourage a bushier shape, keeps the shrub neat and tidy, and can sometimes result in another flowering explosion!
How do you Propagate a New Zealand Tea Tree?
Knowing now how easy it is to care for a New Zealand tea tree, I’m sure you’re eager to learn how to propagate one of your very own! Luckily, this process is also quite easy, and it can be done either from sowing seed or purchasing a young shrub from the nursery.
1. The best time of year to plant your new specimen is either in the early spring or in the early fall.
2. Choose a spot on your property that receives full sun and very well draining soil. Amend the soil with both compost and peat moss to achieve proper nutrient level and acidity.
3. If planting an established plant, dig a hole that is as deep and 3 times as wide as the root ball. Fill the hole and firmly pack the soil around the root ball.
3(A). If planting seed (these can be collected by cracking open seed capsules) start them in individual cells indoors and keep them moist for a couple of days before planting them outdoors.
4. Water the area very very well. Then add 2-3 inches of mulch around the base of the tree to protect the roots and for an extra bonus of decomposing mulch!
How are New Zealand Tea Trees Used?
New Zealand tea trees are amazing for so many more reasons than just the fact that they’re gorgeous (even though they’re perfect for rock gardens, so much so that the Royal Horticultural Society has granted this species plenty of awards). Everything about the plant can be used in a healthy and beneficial way.
Consumable
Manuka honey comes from the manuka tree! When bees collect nectar from the manuka flowers, it imparts a very specific flavor and fragrance profile that people from all over the planet have come to love.
Manuka tree sawdust or wood chips can also be used for meat smoking! The wood itself is very dense and burns at a high temperature and gives meat a very unique flavor to it.
Medicinal
New Zealand tea tree oil is a highly effective remedy for cold symptoms. Essential oils are obtained by taking the foliage of the plant and distilling the leaves.
A salve can also be created used the leaves and bark of the plant and when applied topically, it can bring great relief to stiff muscles or aching joints.
Wildlife Ecology
And one of the most important aspects of this plant is how much of an impact it has on the local wildlife. This tree provides a very important source of nectar for various pollinator species like bees, butterflies, moths, and wasps.
They’re amazing companion plants for this reason, as bringing pollinators to an area is essential for plant population growth!
FAQs
Are New Zealand tea trees deer resistant?
An extra added bonus to the New Zealand tea tree is that they are entirely resistant to grazing from larger pests like deer, squirrels, and rabbits.
Is the New Zealand tea tree an evergreen or deciduous species?
The New Zealand tea tree is an evergreen species. This means that it has leaves that will remain green and persist all year long, regardless of the season.
The leaves of this plant don’t actually look like leaves at all, and instead has needle-like leaves. Each leaf has a needle shape to it, more similar to that of a hemlock tree needle than that of a pine tree needle.
Do New Zealand tea trees have invasive roots?
Though the New Zealand tea tree isn’t known for having invasive roots, the Australian tea tree can quickly become an invasive species due to their drought tolerance and enthusiasm for growth.
Can New Zealand tea trees be grown indoors?
A New Zealand tea tree can be grown indoors easily in a pot or a container. Though they will need a rather large container so that they have enough room, you don’t want to give them so much room that they grow to be too enormous to fit inside.
Are New Zealand tea trees hardy?
The most important thing to remember about New Zealand tea tree care is that these plants are not very cold hardy. They will perish if they are left out to frost or winter temperatures.
They can tolerate temperatures as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit. As soon as temperatures regularly dip below that, they should be brought indoors and kept as a houseplant for the cold winter months. Your tree can be brought outside again in the early spring again once things warm up.
Can a New Zealand teatree be a bonsai?
Technically any tree can be trained to be a bonsai tree, as long as they are started from seed in a small pot and remain bound to a smaller container so that they stay small.
Can a New Zealand tea tree grow in shade?
New Zealand tea trees are sun loving creatures. This means that they should be receiving a minimum of 6-8 hours of direct sunlight every single day. Though they are tolerant to partial shade, this can sometimes result in a less enthusiastic season for flower blossoms.
How should New Zealand tea trees be pruned?
New Zealand tea trees having a very neat and tidy growth habit and don’t really need much from you in terms of pruning! The best time of year for pruning will be right after the plant has finished flowering, and all you need to snip away are the shoots that are damaged or diseased.
Pruning helps encourage a bushier shape, keeps the shrub neat and tidy, and can sometimes result in another flowering explosion!
Will a New Zealand tea tree survive winter?
These trees can exist outdoors in USDA zone 9 and 10, and live outside all year long. Outside of these zones, they can live outside in the warmer months, but should be brought inside as a houseplant as soon as temperatures dip.
Folks living outside of zones 9 and 10 will have to grow their trees in a large pot or container so that they can easily be brought inside when necessary. Luckily these trees won’t grow too big when growing in a container!
When does a New Zealand tea tree flower bloom?
New Zealand tea tree flowers will usually bloom in the early summer and last well into the fall. Tons of pollinating species are extremely attracted to these trees, and once in bloom, they will quickly turn your property into a butterfly sanctuary.
How tall do New Zealand tea trees get?
The New Zealand tea tree is a large shrub or small tree that can grow anywhere from 4 feet up to 49 feet tall! They are a densely branching plant type that creates a very bushy and full canopy, giving it a rounded crown appearance.
This is a very prolific small tree and it is a pioneer species. This means that these plants will be one of the very first plant types to populate an area after there has been a disturbance, like a fire, flood, earthquake, or clearing.
Do New Zealand tea trees need fertilizer?
A New Zealand tea tree will respond very well to fertilizer, and it can be applied in a variety of ways. Incorporating compost at the beginning of the growing season is a great way to do this.
It will also help your plants out a lot of you had a thick layer of mulch around the plant to help keep in warm during the colder months. Otherwise, using a balanced fertilizer every 2-3 years will get the job done!
What are some other common names for a New Zealand tea tree?
Leptospermum scoparium is the latin term for the New Zealand tea tree. Some other common names you may hear it under are manuka, manuka myrtle, or broom tea tree. And yes, you may have heard the word manuka before when you were in Whole Foods and noticed a very fancy jar of honey called Manuka honey.
How often should a New Zealand tea tree be watered?
The main thing to remember with New Zealand tea trees is that they like to be moist. They are used to living in regions that receive a ton of precipitation and high humidity for the majority of the year.
Moist soil should be constantly maintained, and this can be 1-2 inches per week. These shrubs can tolerate dry climates as long as they are watered profusely (to help make up for that lack of humidity).
What USDA growing zone can a New Zealand tea tree grow in?
The New Zealand tea tree can exist in USDA zone 9 and 10.
