A showy, deep red form of the New Zealand tea tree or manuka, Leptospermum scoparium Winter Cheer is a fast-growing, medium-sized, evergreen shrub with a dense, bushy habit and arching shoots. The myrtle-like leaves are needle-like, aromatic, and dark green, turning purplish in late autumn and winter. The deep red, semi-double flowers cover the bush in late spring. They are famously nectar-rich, and very attractive to bees and other pollinators. Tea tree Winter Cheer will tolerate only a few degrees of frost, and is best grown against a dry, warm wall except in the very mildest areas.
Site: Sheltered Soil: Light, fertile, very well drained, acidic soil Position: Full sun or lightly dappled shade Season of interest: Late spring in particular Hardiness: Half-hardy (down to -5ºC) Height: up to 10’ (3m) Spread: 10’ (3m)
