Leptospermum scoparium Apple blossom - Tea-tree

Leptospermum scoparium Apple Blossom is an irresistible variety of New Zealand tea tree, elegant for its flexible and dense habit, and boasting absolutely charming, generous pastel pink flowering. From April to June its young growth is covered with small semi-double flowers, so numerous that they transform the bush into a pink fog. This evergreen bush makes a very beautiful subject in a seaside garden. Leptospermums are quite frost-sensitive and they prefer light, neutral to acidic soils. Planting in open ground will be reserved for mild climates, but they accept pot cultivation very well, allowing gardeners in colder climates to enjoy their generous flowering throughout the season.

Native to the extreme southeast of Australia and New Zealand, Leptospermum scoparium, also known as the tea tree, is a cousin of Mediterranean myrtles, clove trees and Eucalyptus. It belongs to the same family, the Myrtaceae, and shares with these plants a love of heat but also foliage rich in essential oil. It grows naturally in regions with a mild oceanic climate but also in dry forests, most often in soil that is poor in minerals, leached, and rather acidic, and forms a large bush  3 m (10 ft) high and wide.

The cultivar 'Apple Blossom' forms a bush with an upright and flared habit, well branching, reaching about 2 m (6 ft) in height and 1.50 m (5 ft) in spread at maturity. Its growth is quite fast. It has tiny slightly aromatic leaves, alternate, single, pointed, not exceeding one centimetre in length, dark green in colour. The flowers, semi-double, are slightly scented, honey-producing and rich in nectar, and appear from April-May to June, depending on the climate. They are composed of white petals with pink edges surrounding a darker pink heart and do not exceed 1.5 cm (0.6 in) in diameter. The fruits are small capsules which release fine elongated seeds. This bush can be lightly pruned after flowering, from May to July.

The 'Apple Blossom' tea tree withstands temperatures down to -8°C once adult, but the aerial parts can be damaged from -5°C. It needs a sheltered spot, in non-scorching sun. It withstands sea spray well, which makes it a very beautiful bush for seaside gardens. Although it prefers neutral to acidic soils it also tolerates slightly alkaline ones according to some experts, provided they are light, loamy and properly drained. Plant the tea tree in a group alongside e.g. evergreen ceanothus, Grevillea or mimosas. It can also be used to create an evergreen hedge along with myrtles, callistemons and other white or red Leptospermum. In regions with cold winters this plant should be grown in a large pot and protected from frost all winter, like a citrus.