General Description:

Apectospermum is a small genus of 4 species which occur in Western Australia. They were formerly included in Leptospermum (see footnote) and are distinguished from Leptospermum in having non-woody fruits which are usually deciduous.  The reclassification has been accepted by Australian herbaria. It has not yet (July 2025) been taken up in the Australian Plant Census but it is highly probable that this will occur in a future update of the Census.

Apectospermen spinescans (previously Leptospermum spinescens) is an open shrub to about 1.5 metres high by a similar width. The bright green leaves are oval to elliptical in shape, about 5–15 mm long and 2–5 mm wide.  The younger stems of the plant end in a sharp point, which gives rise to both the botanical and common names.  The typical ‘tea-tree’ flowers are white with a green centre having numerous small stamens surrounding the central stigma and occur in the leaf axils. Flowering occurs in spring to early summer and is followed by small non-woody, which are mostly deciduous.

Spiny Tea Tree doesn’t seem to be in widespread cultivation but it is a useful plant for seasonally dry areas.  It requires a sunny location and well drained soils and responds well to pruning to produce a bushy growth habit.  It is reported to be frost hardy to -7^oC and will tolerate extended dry conditions once established.

Propagation is easy from both seed and cuttings. A 1990 report* indicates that optimum germination occurs at 10^oC.

* Bellairs SM and Bell DT (1990). “Temperature Effects on the Seed-Germination of 10 Kwongan Species From Eneabba, Western-Australia”. Australian Journal of Botany 38(5) 451 – 458