Midstorey

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Tantoon Leptospermum polygalifolium

Also called Yellow tea-tree

When it flowers

Leptospermum polygalifolium. Prince Edward Park, Woronora NSW Australia, October 2011.
Leptospermum polygalifolium. Prince Edward Park, Woronora NSW Australia, October 2011.. Photo: John Tann from Sydney, Australia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Tia River & myrtle, Mount Grundy NSW Australia. Most likely to be Leptospermum polygalifolium subsp. montanum
Tia River & myrtle, Mount Grundy NSW Australia. Most likely to be Leptospermum polygalifolium subsp. montanum. Photo: Poyt448 Peter Woodard, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Jewel Beetle, Castiarina decemmaculata family Buprestidae, on Leptospermum polygalifolium. Royal National Park, NSW Australia, November 2013.
Jewel Beetle, Castiarina decemmaculata family Buprestidae, on Leptospermum polygalifolium. Royal National Park, NSW Australia, November 2013.. Photo: John Tann from Sydney, Australia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Tough, variable tea-tree with masses of white flowers in spring and summer.

A hardy shrub from eastern Australia with small, lightly aromatic leaves and white five-petalled flowers that draw in native bees and other insects. Low forms such as 'Pacific Beauty' are sold as groundcovers.

In the garden

  • Hedging
  • Screening
Flowers
White five-petalled flowers, 1 to 1.5 cm across.
Leaves
Small, narrow, lightly aromatic leaves; flaky bark.
Attracts
Pollinating insects, butterflies and shelter for small wildlife

Growing conditions

Climate
Subtropical and temperate
Light
Full sun to part shade
Soil
Sandy, loam and clay
Drainage
Copes with occasional wet
Frost
Moderate frost
Water
Some dry spells
Coast
Sheltered coastal gardens

Planting and care

Grown from
Seed and cuttings

Planting

Sun or part shade. Space 1.5 m apart for a screen.

Pruning

Trim lightly after flowering to keep it dense; it doesn't regrow from bare wood.

Care

No feeding needed. Water through dry spells in the first year. Watch for webbing caterpillars.

Where it comes from

Family
Myrtaceae
Order
Myrtales
Native to
New South Wales and Queensland
Natural range
Coastal and tableland heath and forest of eastern Queensland and NSW.

Where to buy

Widely available.

We don't have stockists listed for this plant yet. Local native nurseries are often the best place to ask.

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