Leptospermum polygalifolium ( Jelly Bush ) is a shrub or small tree that is native to the east coast of Australia. It is widely known for the medicinal honey it produces which sometimes exceeds the strength of its more famous relative, the Manuka. They also make a beautiful hedge or feature plant with constant evergreen foliage and hundreds of flowers blooming throughout summer.
Suitable for Cold, Temperate, Dry, Mediterranean, Sub-Tropical and Tropical climates.
The Jelly Bush gets its name from local beekeepers who attest to the difficulty of harvesting the honey their bees make from plants in the Leptospermum genus. Honey from the genus is so sticky it can sometimes cause the wooden beehives to break during extraction.
Growth
Leptospermum polygalifolium is a native shrub that grows to a range of between 3-7 metres (10-24 feet). The Jelly Bush has a wide range of tolerance, being native to coastal regions from the south coast of New South Wales to right up as far as Cape York in Queensland. Those regions range in temperatures from -5-40°C / 23-104°F but the they also tolerate -10°C / 14°F in Tasmania and from areas in England. Depending on the soils, the Jelly Bush can also be found as far as 500 km (310 mi) inland.
Sometimes aromatic but not strongly, the leaves usually reach up to 20 mm long, are oblanceolate-elliptical in shape. Flowering occurs during summer and the white blooms sometimes appear greenish, off white or even a pale pink. A size of up to 15 mm they occur singly on modified shoots at the end of the branches.
Seeds germinate readily and young seedlings grow quickly during the warmer months. A little bit of protection is required during their first harsh winter but should adapt for the seasons therafter.
It is sometimes grown as a hedge plant and responds well to light pruning at the end of winter.
FAMILY:
Myrtaceae
CLIMATE:
Cold to Warm Temperate.
TEMPERATURE RANGE:
-10°C to 30°C / -14 to 86°F
SOIL TYPE:
Well draining.
LOCATION:
Full Sun.
HEIGHT:
Up to 3 metres (10 feet)
WIDTH:
Up to 3 metres (10 feet)
pH:
6.5-8.0
GROWTH TYPE:
Evergreen, perennial.
WATER REQUIREMENTS:
Low.
POLLINATION:
Pollinated by Bees.
MATURITY:
3-5 years
GERMINATION RATES:
20-30%
GERMINATION TIME:
2-4 weeks germination
SEEDS PER GRAM:
Approximately 1500
MEDICINAL QUALITIES:
Yes.
WEED POTENTIAL:
No.
EDIBLE:
No.
SEED STORAGE & VIABILITY:
Cold Storage at 4°C (Fridge) up to 2 years.
FACTS ABOUT LEPTOSPERMUM POLYGALIFOLIUM (Jelly Bush)
Only as recently as the 1980s was any research conducted on the micro-activity of the honey made from the Jelly Bush. Prior to then, the honey was seen as nuisance due to the difficulty of harvesting the sticky substance from the beehive. Recent studies have found the Jelly Bush to have similar if not more strength as medicinal honey than Manuka Tea Tree which has itself opened an entire new industry.
This particular species is also found on Lord Howe Island.
