Common Name: Lemon Tea Tree

General Information

Leptospermum petersonii is an evergreen shrub or a small tree with a flakey, persistent, fibrous bark; it can grow up to 5 metres tall[].
The leaves are gathered from the wild for use as a medicine and a tea and to extract an essential oil. The plant is sometimes cultivated for the essential oil in Africa, and is also grown as an ornamental.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Australasia - New Zealand (North Island), Australia - New South Wales, Queensland.

Habitat

Often near wet sclerophyll forest or rainforest, on sandy soils or on rocky escarpments[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	4.50 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Found mainly in warm temperate to subtropical areas, Leptospermum petersonii just enters the tropics in eastern Australia. Young plants are frost-tender, but they become somewhat hardier as they grow older[].
Succeeds in almost any neutral or acid soil of good or reasonable quality, preferring a light sandy loam and full sun[]. Prefers a position sheltered from hot or cold drying winds[].
The leaves of the species are often strongly lemon-scented, whilst the leaves of subspecies lanceolatum have a spice-like aroma with little if any lemon[].
Plants resent root disturbance and should be put out into their permanent positions as soon as possible[].
Does not regenerate from old wood[].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

The leaves are used to brew a strongly aromatic tea, or they can be added as a flavouring to china tea[]. They are strongly lemon-scented[].

Medicinal

The leaves, and especially the essential oil obtained from them, is antibacterial, antiseptic and mildly sedative[, ].

The essential oil is used in aromatherapy[].

Other Uses

An essential oil obtained from the leaves is strongly lemon-scented. Its active components include citronellal and citral. It is used in perfumery, aromatherapy and as a bactericide[, ].
The essential oil is strongly insect repellent[].
The essential oil obtained from the leaves is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a perfume and a masking agent[].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts, and give some protection from the cold for their first winter or two outdoors. The seed remains viable for many years.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8 cm with a heel, early August in a frame. Over-winter in the greenhouse for its first year. Good percentage[].
Cuttings of almost mature wood, 4 - 5 cm with a heel, autumn in a frame. Good percentage[].