Native Shrubs

Tantoon — Leptospermum polygalifolium

Leptospermum polygalifolium

Host plant for butterflies and insects Pollinator favourite Shelter for wildlife Showy flowers Resilient garden plant

$7.00

Planning a larger planting project? Contact me to discuss bulk pricing and plant availability.

In stock and available to order

Order online first, then we’ll contact you to arrange free pickup from Worongary on the Gold Coast or weekend delivery if eligible. Available options are shown at checkout. For more information, visit our pickup and delivery page.

Plant profile

At a glance

The essentials for finding the right garden position.

Mature size: Height: 2–5 m · Width: 2–4 m
Light: Full sun, Part shade
Water: Moist, Seasonally wet
Soil: Sandy, Loamy, Clay
Drainage: Free-draining, Poorly drained
Vegetation type: Wallum / Sandy Heath, Wetlands / Swamps / Creek Margins, Wet Eucalypt
Plant lifespan: Long-lived perennial
Plant form: Shrubs

Plant ratings

A quick guide to this plant’s value for wildlife and the garden.

Bird food value
Host plant value
Pollinator value
Shelter & habitat value
Flower display
Garden resilience

About this plant

Tantoon is an informal native shrub that adds texture, seasonal interest and useful mid-storey structure. White five-petalled flowers are followed by small woody capsules along fine branches. Its informal form works well in mixed native borders, screening and the mid-storey of a layered habitat garden.

Image credits:
Mature image: Thomas Mesaglio via iNaturalist photo 568151005 — CC BY 4.0
Feature image: John Tann from Sydney, Australia via Wikimedia Commons — CC BY 2.0

More plant details

Garden uses: Habitat shrub, informal screen, mixed native border and mid-storey planting; especially suited to sites reflecting Wallum / Sandy Heath, Wetlands / Swamps / Creek Margins, Wet Eucalypt.
Wildlife value: Leptospermum polygalifolium offers a strong nectar and/or pollen resource, typically with conspicuous or abundant flowers that support a broad pollinator community. Leptospermum polygalifolium is not primarily selected for bird food, although birds may still forage or perch in it. Leptospermum polygalifolium provides useful shrub / small tree structure for cover, perching and movement through a layered garden.
Flowering and fruiting: White five-petalled flowers are followed by small woody capsules along fine branches.
Growth habit: Woody shrub or small tree with an informal native habit; indicative mature size 2–5 m × 2–4 m.
Cautions: Responds poorly to hard pruning into old bare wood; select a position suited to its mature form.