White Kunzea

Kunzea ambigua ‘Prostrate’

White Kunzea (aka.Tick Bush, Tasmanian Spring Flower, White Cloud Bush) is a small flowering shrub that produces fragrant leaves and flowers. Used in Indigenous medicine for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, its essential oils show comparable benefits to that of tea tree oil in various applications including skin and respiratory treatment, insect bites, perfumery and aromatherapy. This particular variety of White Kunzea grows low to the ground, and can be found in coastal areas and in woodland, forest, shrubland, and heathland biomes across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.

White Kunzea leaves are tiny, but loaded with eucalypt and citrus aromas. The flowers are also aromatic, with additional sweet honey notes. While commonly consumed in tea, the leaves and flowers may also be used to flavour biscuits and cakes, as well as savoury meat dishes.

To harvest, simply strip the leaves and pluck blooming flowers fresh from their stems.

This species flowers profusely in Spring, earning the nickname “White Cloud Bush”. White Kunzea is a great magnet for attracting bees, butterflies and pollinators. Little maintenance is needed to get this plant going, but for best results, choose an easily draining soil and keep the planting area moist throughout the flowering season. This plant suits full sun and dappled shade, and tolerates drought and light frosts.

Kunzea ambigua ‘Prostrate’ is a dense groundcover spreading out to roughly 1.5m in diameter and half a metre in height. It can be grown as a weed-suppressing species in a garden bed, as an ornamental plant in boxes and display pots, and for filling gaps, awkward corners, and narrow spaces.

How much should I water my White Kunzea?
In the wild, this plant can survive both droughts and light frosts. But for best results in the garden, we recommend reticulating the soil throughout the dry season.

How often do I need to fertilise White Kunzea?
Not much at all. This species evolved to cope with low quality soil, and can be damaged by over-fertilising. We suggest a small amount of slow-release fertiliser at the start of Spring, just as your plant starts to show buds and flowers.

Does White Kunzea need much pruning?
This plant can get quite dense when grown in the right conditions, so regular pruning is advised to maintain shape and size. At a minimum, we recommend one pruning a year, just after flowering stops.