Practical
Plants

Correa alba

Cape Barren Tea

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Correa genus in the family Rutaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Rutaceae
Genus
Correa
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Height
1.5 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves can be used as a tea substitute[9][7][8]. They are pleasantly aromatic with a sweetish flavour[2][3].

Product or use
Tea

Environment

Range
Australia - New South Wales, Tasmania.
Habitat
Sandy and rocky habitats by the coast[3][4][10].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 9+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
very acid, acid, neutral
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
high wind, maritime exposure
Wind
Yes
Maritime
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant
Salinity
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse. Fresh seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 20°c[5]. Stored seed can be difficult to germinate, leaching with water can help, or perhaps a short burst of fire will initiate germination[11]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a shaded frame[10]. Cuttings are generally quite easy to root[11].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a freely draining lime-free peaty soil or a sandy soil rich in organic matter and a sunny position[1][10]. Another report says that plants do best in a well-drained, rather poor soil with some limestone[11]. Plants are very resistant to salt spray[4]. This species is hardy to at least -7°c in Australian gardens[4], though this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer, colder and wetter winters. Plants can tolerate at least short-lived frosts down to about -5°c in Britain[10] and they can be grown on a sunny wall in the milder parts of the country[1][6]. In S. Cornwall they succeed as free-growing shrubs[1].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana 1976-00-00 ISBN 0-00-634436-4

    ↩

  3. Ewart. A. J. Flora of Victoria.

    ↩1↩2

  4. Wrigley. J. W. and Fagg. M. Australian Native Plants. Collins. (Australia) 1988-00-00 ISBN 0-7322-0021-0

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990-00-00

    ↩

  6. Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent 1990-00-00

    ↩

  7. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  8. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩

  9. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  10. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  11. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2 Pan Books, London. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-330-37376-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

Edit this page