Leptospermum scoparium ( Manuka Tea Tree ) is a flowering shrub that is native to Australia and New Zealand. Manuka Tea Tree is widely known for the medicinal honey it produces which now sells for premium prices around the world. They also make a beautiful hedge or feature plant with constant evergreen foliage and hundreds of pink flowers blooming throughout summer.
Suitable for Cold, Temperate, Dry and Sub-Tropical climates.
Manuka Tea Tree is found throughout Australia and New Zealand growing under a wide variety of conditions. The strength of its honey varies from season to season and must be tested and graded.
The key active ingredient is Hydrogen peroxide which is found in high concentrates in both the Manuka Tea Tree and the Jelly Bush.
Growth
Leptospermum scoparium is an evergreen native that reaches heights of up to 8 metres (26 feet) in the wild but commonly grows to around 3 metres in cultivation. Manuka is common in Tasmania, Victoria and all over New Zealand, often found in dense woodlands. Until established, they enjoy a sheltered position from cold winds and prefer a part shade location that protects from the hot sun.
The shrub is bushy, fragrant and compact with dark green almost purple leaves. In the warmer months, even within the second season, they become covered in small pink flowers. There is another variety of the same species that produces only white flowers but these seeds are specifically for the variety that has pink flowers.
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 2500
MEDICINAL QUALITIES:
Yes.
WEED POTENTIAL:
No.
EDIBLE:
No.
SEED STORAGE & VIABILITY:
Cold Storage at 4°C (Fridge) up to 2 years.
FACTS ABOUT LEPTOSPERMUM SCOPARIUM (Manuka Tea Tree)
The leaves offer relief from respiratory diseases, and the gum for scalds and burns.
Prices for Manuka honey in recent decades have increased dramatically. With new research and testing, the level of anti-bacterial properties can be graded and those of high activity sell for up to $250 per kilo. During the early 1990s, a kilogram of Manuka honey was sold for around $15 and not known as a medicinal benefit. At that time it was hard to envisage such a commercial success as competing Eucalyptus honeys were selling for less than $5.
Beekeepers attest to the difficulty of harvesting the honey their bees make from all plants in the Leptospermum genus. The honey from this genus is so sticky it can sometimes cause the wooden beehives to break during extraction.
