It’s no secret that I love tea trees, I forgive them for their short flowering periods and sometimes sporadic and un reliable floral displays, and this particular Tea Tree has really tested my patience.
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This is Leptospermum rotundifolium ‘Julie Ann’ a low growing spreading shrub form of Leptospermum rotundifolium from Jervis Bay. It grows to a height of 0. 3 metres with a spread of up to 1. 5 metres, but the most wonderful thing about it is its dense habitat, the weeds really find it hard to get through all those pretty little branches.
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This specimen was planted in a raised bed about 5 to 6 years ago and this is the first time I have seen it bloom. It is well into Spring now and the buds have only just begun to open, apparently it is supposed to flower in Autumn and Winter 🤨
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The flowers begun as quite a deep pink almost purple and lighten as they open ending in a very pale pink. Although the flowers are spectacular in their own special tea tree way, its actually the foliage of this plant that I like best.
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Leptospermum rotundifolium has tiny little round leaves clustered together on reddish stems, this creates a luscious shrub and there are many different forms and cultivars of this species.
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Leptospermum ‘Julie Ann’ works well planted on slopes or banks which need to be covered quickly, it also does a great job as a spillover plant and compliments silver or grey leaved species nicely.
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Leptospermum ‘Julie Ann’ grows well in a free draining soil but will cope with heavier clays and it enjoys full sun but can handle part shade. It will also tolerate frost and coastal positions.
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This is a lovely alternative to the over used ‘Pink Cascade’, where something a little lower growing is required, it also doesn’t become sparse and ranges looking if you forget to prune it 😉
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