kānuka

Kunzea ericoides | kānuka, white tea-tree

A fast-growing and hardy evergreen, valued for its small, dark green, fragrant leaves and abundant small white summer flowers that attract birds and bees. A versatile plant, well-suited for shelter, slender hedges that can be easily trimmed, native revegetation, and riparian plantings. Its adaptability extends to full sun or partial shade and various well-drained soils, including sandy and loamy types, making it ideal for coastal and exposed sites. Once established, it's drought-tolerant and requires little maintenance, though young plants benefit from regular watering and light pruning after flowering. As an important revegetation species and a coloniser of exposed ground, Kanuka also offers a natural method for gorse control.