Kunzea ericoides (A. Rich) J. Thompson, Myrtaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Kunzea peduncularis F. Muell.; Leptospermum ericoides A. Rich.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: burgan, kanuka, manuka, tea-tree, white teatree

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Shrub or small tree up to ca 6 m tall. Leaves with petioles up to ca 1.5 mm long; blades linear-ovate or linear-elliptic, apex acute, base cuneate, 1.2-2.5 cm x 0.2-0.4 cm, glabrous or with few hairs when young, oil glands conspicuous. Flowers in leafy racemes, pedicels 4-7 mm long; hypanthium 2-2.5 mm long, glabrous; sepals ca 0.5 mm long, "persistent; petals white, 2-2.5 mm long; stamens whitish. Fruits 2-3 mm broad, flat on top" (Stanley and Ross, 1986; vol. 2, p. 133).

Habitat/ecology:  Similar to Leptospermum scoparium. Cultivated as an ornamental.

Propagation:  Seed.

Native range:  Australia and New Zealand (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island		Smith, Clifford W. (1998) C.W. Smith

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Victoria
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	native	Allan, H. H. (1982) (p. 321) "Lowland to montane shrubland and forest, especially marginal, throughout".

Comments:  Other members of this genus, including L. laevigatum and L. polygalifolium, are also potentially invasive. See also listing for Leptospermum scoparium.

Control:  If you know of control methods for Kunzea ericoides, please let us know.