Description
(Tube) Leptospermum scoparium ‘Ballerina’ – Ballerina Tea Tree Botanical Name: Leptospermum scoparium ‘Ballerina’ Leptospermum scoparium ‘Ballerina’, commonly known as Ballerina Tea Tree or Manuka, is a beautiful evergreen flowering shrub prized for its masses of delicate double flowers in shades of pink, plum and white. The unusual layered blooms create a soft, ruffled appearance and provide a spectacular display during the cooler months and into spring. With an attractive rounded growth habit, Ballerina generally reaches approximately 1–2 metres tall and 1–2 metres wide, making it a versatile size for suburban gardens, native gardens, informal hedges and feature planting. Beautiful Double Flowers Ballerina is grown primarily for its abundant double flowers. The blooms appear along the branches, creating a colourful display against the fine evergreen foliage. The combination of pink, plum and white tones gives this tea tree a softer appearance than many traditional native shrubs and makes it particularly attractive in cottage-style and mixed flowering gardens. The flowers also provide a valuable source of nectar for bees and other pollinators, making Ballerina a useful addition to wildlife-friendly planting. Evergreen Foliage Even outside its main flowering period, Ballerina provides year-round structure through its evergreen foliage. The fine leaves create a delicate texture that works well alongside broader-leaved shrubs and larger feature plants. The dense growth habit also makes it useful for informal screening or as a low-to-medium hedge. Growing Ballerina Tea Tree Plant Leptospermum scoparium ‘Ballerina’ in full sun to part shade. A sunny position generally produces the best flowering. The plant is adaptable to a range of soils, including sandy, loamy and clay soils, provided drainage is reasonable. Water regularly while establishing and reduce watering once the plant is well rooted. Once established, Ballerina can tolerate periods of relatively dry conditions, although it will perform best when it receives adequate moisture during active growth and flowering. Pruning and Maintenance Ballerina responds well to light pruning. Pruning after flowering can help maintain a compact, bushy form and encourage fresh branching. This makes it particularly useful where a neat hedge or rounded shrub is required. Avoid excessively hard pruning into old woody growth. Ballerina Tea Tree in Brisbane Leptospermum scoparium ‘Ballerina’ can be an attractive choice for Brisbane and South East Queensland gardens. Give it good airflow and avoid planting it in areas where water remains stagnant after heavy rainfall. Its evergreen foliage and colourful flowers make it useful in gardens where year-round structure is important. Landscaping Uses Ballerina works beautifully as: A feature shrub Informal screening A low hedge A native garden plant A pollinator-friendly plant Cottage garden planting Coastal garden planting A large container specimen Mature Height: Approximately 1–2 m Mature Width: Approximately 1–2 m Position: Full sun to part shade Soil: Well drained; adaptable Foliage: Evergreen, fine foliage Flowers: Double pink, plum and white Flowering: Winter and spring Watering: Regular while establishing; moderate once established If you’re looking for an Australian native flowering shrub with beautiful double flowers, Leptospermum scoparium ‘Ballerina’ is a standout choice. Its compact size, evergreen foliage and colourful blooms make it suitable for a wide range of gardens, while its flowers provide valuable food for bees and other pollinators. Plant it in a sunny position, give it well-drained soil and prune lightly after flowering to enjoy a dense, attractive shrub year after year.
