Leptospermum laevigatum

Australian tea tree

Family: Myrtaceae · Type: shrub · Not Native

Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes

Australian tea tree is a naturalized shrub found in the central Coast Ranges in uncommon, disturbed coastal areas at elevations below 50 meters. Flowering in spring, this plant produces white flowers 1.5 to 2 centimeters wide with ephemeral petals and up to 20 delicate stamens. Growing with a spreading trunk and reaching moderate heights, it develops distinctive alternate leaves 10 to 25 millimeters long that are oblanceolate to obovate-oblong with three inconspicuous main veins. Its leaves have blunt or slightly pointed tips and appear somewhat leathery in texture. The fruit is approximately 7 to 8 millimeters wide with valve edges slightly protruding beyond the surface.

Habitat: Uncommon. Disturbed coastal areas

Bloom period: Spring

Elevation: < 50 m

Bioregions: CCo

California counties: San Mateo, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Los Angeles, San Diego, Shasta, Santa Barbara, Tulare, Monterey, Alameda, Santa Clara

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.