Leptospermum scoparium Snow Flurry

Leptospermum scoparium 'Snow Flurry' is a variety of tea tree or Manuka with a beautiful double white flowering. It is an evergreen bush, a bit frost-sensitive, but resistant to sea spray and drought. Its branches are covered with small double flowers with a brown centre and frosted in appearance, between late spring and early summer. Its very fine, dark green foliage, is delicate and aromatic. It should only be grown in open ground in coastal gardens. This New Zealand myrtle thrives well in pots, allowing gardeners to shelter it in winter and enjoy its generous flowering during the summer.

Leptospermum scoparium 'Snow Flurry' is a horticultural selection by Lammerts, in California (United States), dating back to 1946. The species is native to the extreme southeast of Australia and New Zealand. This shrub is also known as Tea-tree in English. It is a relative of Mediterranean myrtles, cloves, and Eucalyptus, belonging to the same family, the Myrtaceae. This Leptospermum grows naturally in regions with a mild oceanic climate, as well as in dry forests, usually on mineral-poor, leached, rather acidic soil, and forms a large bush, 3m tall and 2m wide. Its growth is rather slow.

The 'Snow Flurry' variety stands out with a more modest development and double white flowers, much more obvious than in the species. This bushy shrub with erect branches reaches a height of about 1.50m and a spread of 1m at the age of 10. Its branches bear slightly aromatic, alternate, simple, pointed leaves, not exceeding 1cm long, dark green with brownish and greyish highlights. The slightly fragrant, nectar-rich flowers appear from April-May to July, sometimes from March to December in Mediterranean climates. They are composed of multiple white petals surrounding a dark centre and can reach 2cm in diameter. They are followed by small capsules releasing fine elongated seeds. This bush can be lightly pruned after flowering from May to July.

The tea tree 'Snow Flurry' can withstand temperatures as low as -8°C, but the aboveground parts can be damaged from -5°C. It needs to be placed in a sheltered spot, in full sun, but not in a too hot situation. It tolerates sea spray well, making it an excellent shrub for mixed hedges in coastal gardens. In this use, it can be associated with myrtles, escallonias, olearias, and callistemons. In a region with very cold winters, the plant should be grown in a pot and sheltered from frost throughout the winter.

NB: Leptospermum means thin seed and gets its common English name of tea tree from Captain Cook and his crew, who used its leaves to prevent scurvy.