Product Review

TROPICA - Australian Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) - 400 Seeds

Worth knowing: The Tea Tree can be well cultivated as a tub plant within our latitudes. It develops slim leaves, of 3 to 5 cm in length and produces many little white flowers during warm seasons. This evergreen plant gained popularity for its ethereal Tea Tree oil obtained from oil glands underside the leaves. The Tea Tree is not troubled at all by any kind of pests or diseases. It is not available as a plant within Europe.

Origin: Australia and Tasmania.

Propagation: Seeds can be started indoors any time throughout the year. Sow the fine seeds on moist seed starting soil and cover them very thinly with soil. With temperatures between 18° and 20°C, the seeds should germinate within 4 to 5 weeks. The container has to be kept moist during this period, not wet.

Place / Light: A warm and sunny place is ideal. Same goes for an outdoor position during summer.

Care: Plant the Tea Tree in chalk-poor, humus soil with a pH between 5 and 6. Water plentifully during the growing period but avoid building up of water. Since the Tea Tree is very sensitive to chalk, it is best to use softened water for watering. Supply tub plant fertilizer fortnightly from April until September. The Tea Tree can be kept at any desirable size by pruning which will also let the shrub-like growing plant become more bushy.

Winter period: Keep the plant somewhat dry during winter. The root bales should not be allowed to dry out, however. Bright and cool rooms with temperatures between 8° and 15°C are ideal.

Bonsai Suitability: No