western australia

The beautiful Leptospermum or tea-tree

Leptospermum

@JudyEv (339826)

Rockingham, Australia

October 13, 2022 3:55am CST

I thought I should write more about this beautiful example of an Australian native, the leptospermum. The leptospermum or tea-tree genus ranges from prostrate shrubs to small trees. The flowers show five conspicuous petals. It is now widely cultivated as a garden shrub and is available in single- or double-flowered types. You can choose from white, pink or red bushes. The foliage is quite sharp and often aromatic. The tea-tree name comes because early settlers would infuse the leaves of some species to make a herbal tea. Such drinks were rich in Vitamin C (ascorbic acid). On our Donnybrook farmlet, we had several bushes of Leptospermum as the kangaroos didn’t like them. The top photo is from our house-sit at Yabberup and the lower two photos were taken in our garden at Donnybrook before we sold the property.

16 people like this

15 responses

@DaddyEvil (137257)

• United States

13 Oct 22

I think you and Vince should have gotten slips of each color and started them in tubs to keep at your new house. They're very pretty.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (339826)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Oct 22

I guess that's what we should have done. I'm not sure if they grow from slips or not. I want to take some cuttings from the pelargoniums that are here. There are some really pretty colours.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (339826)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Oct 22

@DaddyEvil Thanks for that. I didn't really know about the watering bit and then letting them dry out.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339826)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Oct 22

@DaddyEvil Ah yes, but now I don't have to.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@Beestring (14543)

• Hong Kong

13 Oct 22

Wow, those are beautiful plants.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (339826)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Oct 22

When the season is kind to them, they have a great many flowers and the bees love them too.

2 people like this

@Beestring (14543)

• Hong Kong

13 Oct 22

@JudyEv That's lovely.

2 people like this

@rebelann (112866)

• El Paso, Texas

14 Oct 22

They are stunning. I'll have to see if I can find at least one to plant here.

1 person likes this

show previous comments

@rebelann (112866)

• El Paso, Texas

14 Oct 22

This part of TX rarely gets snow but every few years I've seen maybe a half inch or so. Our night can get pretty cold though.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339826)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Oct 22

@rebelann It would cope with the odd frost I think.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339826)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Oct 22

They probably don't like snow but I think Texas doesn't get snow maybe.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@xFiacre (12997)

• Ireland

13 Oct 22

@judyev A plant as pretty as that requires a prettier Latin name.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (339826)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Oct 22

At least it's one I can pronounce and remember.

1 person likes this

@Kandae11 (54985)

•

13 Oct 22

A cup of herbal tea rich in vitamin C. I would love that.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (339826)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Oct 22

I used to take ascorbic acid tablets once.

Patricia Ocampo

@iKONICNoona (4192)

• Philippines

13 Oct 22

Wow they are beautiful. Are they still doing it as herbal tea ? Have you tried them too?

2 people like this

@JudyEv (339826)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Oct 22

I don't think it's still being done. You might be taking a risk as I'm not sure you could do it with all of them.

1 person likes this

@BarBaraPrz (47307)

• St. Catharines, Ontario

13 Oct 22

I especially like the pink ones. I wonder what part is used to make tea-tree oil and how difficult it is to do. I also wonder if they'd grow in Canada.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339826)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Oct 22

They probably wouldn't like intense cold and snow. You can't get oil from these. The tea-tree oil comes from a Melaleuca tree.

1 person likes this

@BarBaraPrz (47307)

• St. Catharines, Ontario

13 Oct 22

@JudyEv Thanks.

1 person likes this

@shaggin (72129)

• United States

13 Oct 22

Do they make tea tree oil from it as well? My favorite is the one in the top photo.

1 person likes this

show previous comments

@shaggin (72129)

• United States

14 Oct 22

@JudyEv oh okay thanks. I hate the smell of tea tree oil

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339826)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Oct 22

The oil is made from a different tree - the Melaleuca.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@snowy22315 (180600)

• United States

13 Oct 22

Very nice plants with an interesting history.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339826)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Oct 22

Thanks. They seem to be really doing well this year. At least the one here is.

@Ronrybs (19211)

• London, England

13 Oct 22

I always have some tea tree oil handy for those minor scrapes

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339826)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Oct 22

Tea-tree oil is good for those sort of wounds but, despite the name, it actually comes from the melaleuca plant.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339826)

• Rockingham, Australia

15 Oct 22

@Ronrybs Maybe 'Melaleuca oil' wouldn't fit on the label!

1 person likes this

@Ronrybs (19211)

• London, England

14 Oct 22

@JudyEv Makes you wonder how they got it so wrong!

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@LindaOHio (178329)

• United States

13 Oct 22

They're all very pretty.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339826)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Oct 22

I think the pink one is my favourite.

1 person likes this

Krissttina Isobe

@oahuwriter (26777)

• United States

14 Oct 22

Very nice. It's a kangaroo chaser away plant?

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339826)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Oct 22

Kangaroos eat a lot of garden plants but thankfully not this one.

1 person likes this

Krissttina Isobe

@oahuwriter (26777)

• United States

15 Oct 22

@JudyEv I see, so they flourish and makes places graceful and be pretty.

1 person likes this

@CarolDM (203422)

• Nashville, Tennessee

13 Oct 22

Love these trees. I like the way they sort of drape like a canopy.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339826)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Oct 22

The pink one drapes beautifully. The ones I had were stiffer somehow.

1 person likes this

@CarolDM (203422)

• Nashville, Tennessee

16 Oct 22

@JudyEv I really like the look of these trees.

1 person likes this

@Rimps85 (1856)

• India

13 Oct 22

those are some gorgeous pics...

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339826)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Oct 22

Thanks. I'm glad you like them.

1 person likes this

@Rimps85 (1856)

• India

13 Oct 22

1 person likes this

@Juliaacv (51156)

• Canada

13 Oct 22

They are stunning.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339826)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Oct 22

The one here is a mass of flowers. Hopefully the ones at our old place are too.

1 person likes this