The name tea tree is familiar to most Australian gardeners, conjuring images of masses of star-like flowers in spring, and it’s one of those reliable shrubs that can cope with both wet and dry conditions.
Belonging to the genus Leptospermum and a member of the eucalypt family, Myrtaceae, they became known as tea trees because early European settlers discovered the aromatic leaves made an acceptable tea substitute.
Though the common name tea tree is usually applied to Leptospermum, there’s also some mild confusion as the related plant Melaleuca alternifolia produces a medicinal essential oil commercially known as tea-tree oil.
