Fun Facts About Manuka

The Manuka is a flower that produces the most popular honey of them all.

What makes it so popular is its anti-microbial healing properties. The Manuka flower's honey is said to have more properties than any other type of honey in the world. That's also why it's sold in many grocery stores and is far more expensive than other honeys.

The Manuka bush is also known as the New Zealand Tea Tree. However, it is widely grown in both New Zealand and Australia.

There is both a shrub and a tree version of it, but the shrub is what most New Zealanders make tea out of because it's easier to harvest the flowers.

Planting Requirements For Manuka

Light: Manukas prefer a location with full sun, though it can tolerate a little shade. However, flowering will typically be better if it grows in a sunny spot.

Soil: New Zealand tea tree readily grows in fertile, slightly acidic soil. Its planting site also needs good drainage. This plant is fairly tolerant of poor soil, though it doesn't like heavy soil. You can amend heavy soil with some peat moss or sand to improve its drainage.

Spacing: The New Zealand Tea Tree produces dense, bushy foliage and reaches a height of about 3’ feet. It has a medium growth rate and may take several years to achieve a height of more than a foot. When fully mature, the plant resembles a small tree with delicate branches.

Planting Time: Transplant the plant between early spring and late spring to freshen the soil.

Zones: Grows in zones 9 to 10.

Time of Bloom: Will bloom every year between June and July.