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Leptospermum polygalifolium 'Yarra River' (Red Spire Tea Tree) - This is a quick-growing, wonderfully-sculptural upright shrub or small tree to 25 feet tall by 16 feet wide with narrow and pointed deep burgundy red leaves. The branches have a spreading, weeping habit and can appear twisted. Small white flowers, to 1/2 inch across appear mid-spring through summer.
It has similar cultural requirements as the Australian Tea Tree, Leptospermum laevigatum. Plant in full sun and protect from hot, dry winds. Dought tolerant once established. Shows great tolerance for seaside conditions and will take temperatures down to 20 degrees F. The contrast between leaf and flower color is eye-catching and the bark has nice cross hatched texture.
Leptospermum polygalifolium is commonly called Tantoon, Jellybush or Yellow Tea Tree and grows in eastern Australia. The name for the genus is derived from the Greek 'leptos', "thin" and 'sperma', a "seed", a reference to the small seeds. The specific epithet polygalifolium is from the Latin 'folius', a "leaf"; ie. with leaves resembling the genus Polygala and the cultivar name is the name of the river Yarra, which flows through the city of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. We grew this plant from 1994 until 2008. A good plant but we replaced it with Leptospermum 'Dark Shadows', which we like better.
The information about Leptospermum polygalifolium 'Yarra River' that is displayed on this web page is based on research conducted in our nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We will also include observations made about this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We also incorporate comments that we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they share cultural information that aids others growing this plant.
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