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Leptospermum liversidgei

Common name:	Lemon-Scented Tea Tree	Family:	Myrtaceae
Author:	R.T.Baker.& H.G.Sm.	Botanical references:	11, 200, 265
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	Australia.
Habitat:	Swamps by the coast in New South Wales[156, 265].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	2	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	1

Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Myrtales. Myrtle family

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen shrub growing to 4m. It is hardy to zone 8. It is in leaf all year, in flower from June to July. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. We rate it 2/5 for edibility and 1/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid and neutral soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Sunny Edge.

Edible Uses

Tea.

The dried leaves are a tea substitute[183]. Lemon-scented[144, 177].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Antibacterial.

Antibacterial[156].

Other Uses

Essential.

An essential oil obtained from the leaves[11] is used as a bactericide[156].

Cultivation details

Succeed in almost any neutral or acid soil of good or reasonable quality, preferring a light sandy loam and full sun[200]. Prefers a position sheltered from hot or cold drying winds[200].
Only succeeds outdoors in the mild areas of Britain, tolerating temperatures down to about -10° c[200]. If plants are killed back in cold winters they sometimes sprout afresh from the old wood[219]. This species does not regenerate from old wood[200].
Resents root disturbance[200].
The leaves have a delightful lemon scent[182, 219]. The forms grown in Britain have a very weak scent, is this due to a lack of sun?[11].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].

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[78].
Cuttings of almost mature wood, 4 - 5 cm with a heel, October/November in a frame. Good percentage[78].

Scent

Leaves: Crushed: The leaves have a delightful lemon scent, though the forms grown in Britain have a very weak scent, is this due to a lack of sun?

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for the family Myrtaceae.

To be included in the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[144] Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana 1976 ISBN 0-00-634436-4
A very good pocket guide.

[156] Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Useful Wild Plants in Australia. William Collins Pty Ltd. Sidney 1981 ISBN 0-00-216441-8
A very readable book.

[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[182] Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[219] Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983 ISBN 0-00-219220-0
A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

[265] Carolin. R. & Tindale. M. Flora of the Sydney Region Reed. Australia. 1993 ISBN 0730104001
Concise flora with little beyond an extensive key, species descriptions, very brief habitat description.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
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