Leptospermum scoparium

Manuka, Black or Broom Teatree

See Leptospermum continentale. Locally L. scoparium is taller and leafier than Prickly Tea-tree.

FamilyMyrtaceae
StoreyMiddle storey
Size2-5 m x 1.5-3 m
Plant groupingShrubs 1.5-10 m
LeavesLeaves are narrowly elliptic to almost circular, broadest near the middle, 7-22 mm x 2-7 mm.
Flower colourWhite
Flowering timeDecember to March
FlowersOpen flowers to 14 mm, sepals hairless, capsules broadly hemispherical, flaky as age.
Bird attractingInsects
Butterfly attractingNectar for butterflies
Frog habitatNo
Growing conditionsMoist soils along watercourses and in damp forests, woodlands and heathlands. Full sun to semi shade.
Garden useA good screening and habitat plant due to its prickly nature. There are many coloured cultivars in the nursery trade. These have been developed from the New Zealand form.
Commercially availableIndigenous nursery
Conservation statusSignificant within the Shire. Known from very few local sites. Scattered outside the Shire boundary.
Aboriginal Use Wood - spears, pegs
Related speciesSee Leptospermum continentale. It differs in having wider leaves which are broadest in the middle.