Communities

Scientific Name

Leptospermum nitidum

Family Name

MYRTACEAE

Common Name

Shiny Tea-tree

Status

Height

2.0m - 4.0m (200-400cm)

Flowers

White with green centres, to 1.5cm in dia. Petals sometimes flat, sometimes frilled.

Fruit

Woody capsule

Form

Rigid shrub or small tree, erect and much- branched, leaves light shining green.

Municipalities

Burnie; Central Highlands; Derwent Valley; Flinders Island; Huon Valley; Kentish; Launceston; Meander Valley; Northern Midlands; Waratah-Wynyard; West Coast; West Tamar

Communities

Coastal Vegetation; Heath; Riparian; Wet Eucalypt Forest

Habitat Notes

Tas. endemic. Common on button grass plains extending into forests and scrub fringing the plains. Locally abundant in wet heaths from sea level in the south west and west to subalpine on the central plateau. At Cradle Mountain it grows on flat areas and slopes, in alluvial soils or on glacial till. Sea level at Rocky Cape. Not suitable below powerlines.

Site Tolerance

Exposed; Moist; Windy

Frost Tolerance

Hardy

Soil Tolerance

Fertile; Loam; Poor; Poorly-drained; Sandy; Well-drained

General Notes

Resistant to wildlife browsing due to its unpalatability. Flowers on this species are good to spectacular, sometimes petals are flat, sometimes frilled. Not suitable below powerlines.

Propagation Details

Propagation Calendar

Flowering Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Seed Collecting Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Sowing Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Cutting Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Seed Information

Seed Collection

Mature capsule deep cup-shaped nearly 1cm in diameter, wall, scaly, and opening into 5 valves. sepals are retained for some time around rim of fruit. store capsules in paper bags until the very fine seed is released

Seed Treatment Method

Bog method

Seed Storage Life

Long

Viable Seeds Per Gram

500

Seed Treatment Notes

Do not sow too thickly and lightly cover. Capillary watering may be useful due to the fine seed.

Germination Time

14-30 days

Suitable for Direct Seeding

Yes

Cuttings

Expected Time to Take Root

3 weeks

Expected Time to Plant Out

2 years

Propagation by Division N.B. Transplant only from nearby to avoid disease.

Cutting Notes

Grown from cuttings. It is possible to select the preferred form - dense bush to prostrate and altitude preference from coastal to sub-alpine.