Correa alba aka White Correa

Correa alba is an evergreen shrub in the rue family, Rutaceae. Its common names include white correa and Botany Bay tea tree. It comes from southeastern Australia, including Tasmania. Its range also covers eastern New South Wales and southern Victoria. It grows in southeastern South Australia too. In the wild, it lives near the coast. Sandy ground and rocky sites form its habitat.

In gardens, it reaches about 5 feet [1.5 metres] tall. Its spread is also about 5 feet [1.5 metres]. The leaves stay on the plant all year. They have a pleasant scent and a slightly sweet taste. Plants For A Future lists flowering from April to June. Each flower has both male and female organs. The supplied species evidence gives no further flower or fruit details.

Choose a sunny place with soil that drains well. Sandy and loamy soils suit this shrub. It can grow in poor soil and prefers moist ground. Reports differ on its response to lime. One calls for lime-free soil with peat or organic matter. Another reports good growth in poor soil with some limestone. Acid to neutral soil has clearer support across the evidence. The plant also copes with saline soil and salt spray. This makes it useful for exposed seaside gardens.

Cold tolerance depends on the climate as well as temperature. Australian reports record survival at about 19°F [-7°C]. British guidance gives brief frost tolerance near 23°F [-5°C]. Cooler summers and longer, wetter winters may limit British growth. A sunny wall offers a planting site in milder areas. Plants can grow without wall shelter in southern Cornwall. Sunny woodland edges are another suggested garden setting. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 8–11.

The leaves can serve as a substitute for tea. Plants For A Future gives this use a low food rating. It reports no known hazards and no known medicinal uses. That does not establish safety for pets or every use. Fresh seed grows best when sown once ripe under glass. Germination can take one to three months at 68°F [20°C]. Stored seed may prove harder to start. Keep young plants under glass through their first winter. Plant them outside after the last expected frost. Half-ripe cuttings offer another route and usually root with ease.