Mānuka
A tough pioneer shrub/small tree famous for manuka honey - masses of small white (occasionally pink) flowers are a magnet for honeybees and native bees over spring and summer. Thrives on poor, dry soils where little else will grow. Like other native myrtles, it's vulnerable to myrtle rust; inspect new growth for bright yellow-orange pustules.
- Sun
- full sun
- Water
- low
- Spacing
- 150cm
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Grows in
- Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
- Mature height
- 4m
- Flowering season
- Jan, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
- Attracts wildlife
- Bees, Native bees
- Evergreen
- Yes
- Common diseases
- Myrtle rust
- Common pests
- Manuka blight (scale)
When to plant by region
In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Napier / Hawke's Bay: March-April and September-November. In Hamilton / Waikato, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: September-November.
Growing stages
Planting & establishmentFirst few months
- Water while establishing, but this pioneer species thrives on poor, dry soils once settled in
- Full sun is essential, this is not a plant for shaded or overly rich, damp ground
Early growthFirst 1-2 years
- Inspect new growth regularly for bright yellow-orange pustules of myrtle rust
- Watch for manuka blight (scale) on stems and undersides of leaves
FloweringSeptember-January, varying by region
- Masses of small white (occasionally pink) flowers are a magnet for honeybees and native bees
- Myrtle rust can affect flower buds as well as foliage, so keep checking new growth through this period
Maturity
- Low-maintenance and drought-tolerant once established, needing very little watering or feeding
- Continue monitoring for myrtle rust and manuka blight even on mature plants