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.

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.

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 🤨

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 😉