Leptospermum Flavescens 'Cardwell'

Cardwell Tea Tree

Botanical Name: Leptospermum flavescens ‘Cardwell’
Family: Myrtaceae
Origin: Australia (cultivar selection; QLD origins but widely grown nationally)
Plant Type: Evergreen shrub

Overview

A graceful, lightly weeping tea tree known for its soft, fine foliage and spectacular flushes of white to soft pink blushed flowers. Leptospermum flavescens ‘Cardwell’ thrives in Adelaide’s Mediterranean climate, performing beautifully in sunny native gardens, cottage borders, screens, and bird-friendly plantings. Quick to establish and tolerant of heat, drought, and coastal conditions once settled, it offers year-round texture and a profusion of flowers that attract bees and small birds. Excellent as a feature shrub or loose hedge in South Australian gardens.

Key Features

• Mature Size: 2–4 m H × 1.5–2.5 m W – naturally soft, airy, lightly arching habit
• Growth Rate: 30-60 cm per year under good conditions
• Foliage: Fine, narrow mid-green leaves; new growth often bronze-tinged; foliage lightly aromatic when crushed. Fragrance: Foliage softly aromatic; flowers very lightly sweet when warm but not strongly scented
• Flowers: Masses of white blooms with pink blush tones in spring–early summer; small, dainty, nectar-rich
  
• Seasonal Interest: Heavy spring–early summer display, occasionally with spot flowering later; evergreen structure year-round with soft, weeping form
• Wildlife Value: Highly attractive to bees, native pollinators, and small nectar-feeding birds. Provides shelter for small birds due to its fine branch texture
• Tolerance: Drought- and heat-tolerant once established; wind- and second-line coastal tolerant; handles light frost (protect from hard frost). Performs well in poor, sandy, or lightly alkaline soils common in SA
• Planting Density: Screen/hedge: 1–1.2 m apart; Feature/stand-alone: 2–3 m apart
• Pet Friendly: Non-toxic to cats and dogs; safe in family gardens

Where It Works Best

• Sunlight: Full sun to light part shade (best flowering in full sun)
• Soil: Free-draining sandy or loamy soils; adapts to slightly alkaline limestone soils; avoid heavy, waterlogged clay
• Water Needs: Establishment: 2 deep soaks/week for 8–12 weeks. Established: deep soak every 2–3 weeks in summer (weekly in heatwaves); little needed in winter
• Maintenance: Low-maintenance. Lightly tip prune after flowering to maintain shape and promote denser growth. Avoid hard pruning into old wood. Mulch annually in spring. Use a low-P native fertiliser if feeding is required
• Lifespan: 10–20+ years in well-drained sites across SA
• Climate Zones: Ideal for Mediterranean and temperate SA, including Adelaide plains, coastal suburbs, Barossa foothills, Hills microclimates, and windy coastal areas
• Soil pH: Tolerates slightly acidic to moderately alkaline soils

Landscape & Design Ideas

• Soft native hedging or loose screening
• Feature shrub for cottage-native blends
• Mass plant in heat- and wind-exposed sites
• Bird-friendly gardens and pollinator plantings
• Pair with westringia, callistemon, eremophila, grevillea, and lomandra

Why You Will Love It

A beautifully soft, elegant tea tree with masses of delicate white-pink flowers and exceptional toughness. ‘Cardwell’ brings movement, texture, wildlife activity, and effortless performance to Adelaide gardens — thriving in heat, coastal winds, and low-water conditions with minimal care.