Leptospermum lanigerum aka Woolly Tea Tree

Leptospermum lanigerum is known as woolly tea tree or Australian tea tree. It belongs to the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. This evergreen shrub or small tree comes from eastern and southeastern Australia. Its range includes Tasmania, Victoria, and parts of New South Wales and South Australia. It grows from mountain sites down to the coast. Habitats include wet heath, open eucalyptus woods, and stream banks.

In gardens, it forms an upright shrub with spreading branches. The RHS gives a garden height and width of 8–13 feet [2.5–4 metres]. Its description also records heights of about 16 feet [5 metres]. Plants take about 10–20 years to reach full size. The stems are green and may have a red flush. Small, grey-green leaves bear fine, silky hairs. They stay on the plant year-round and smell when crushed. Single white flowers have red-brown marks and reach 0.8 inches [2 centimetres] across. They appear from late spring into summer.

Choose a sunny spot with shelter from harsh weather. The RHS also lists partial shade as suitable. Sand, loam, and chalk suit it, provided water drains freely. It accepts acid, neutral, and alkaline soil. The RHS records drought resistance and a dry-to-moist preference. Its cold tolerance needs care when choosing a site. The RHS assigns H3, but also warns against temperatures below 31°F [-0.5°C]. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 7–10. These sources give different cold limits, so neither suggests a single clear threshold.

Use this shrub in sheltered hedges, screens, or mixed flower borders. It also suits informal gardens and beds beside walls. Plants For A Future suggests the sunny edge of a woodland garden. Avoid cutting a hedge back into old wood. The same source reports that such cuts will not regrow. For new plants, the RHS recommends semi-ripe cuttings with heat beneath them. Pests seldom cause trouble, according to the RHS. Honey fungus can occur, though the source describes it as rare.

The leaves can serve as a tea substitute. Plants For A Future lists no known hazards or medicinal uses. That hazard entry does not establish safety for every use or for pets. The wood is hard, heavy, tough, and fine-grained. People use it for stakes, poles, and tool handles. It lasts well indoors and also serves as fuel.