When looking for a plant to incorporate in my landscape, I wanted to find a drought tolerant native bush that attracts pollinators and would do well facing east. I initially did some online research followed by a visit to a nursery specializing in native plants where I found a number of suitable offerings.

One that caught my attention, and which I purchased because it checked off all the boxes for me and had a loose rather than compact appearance, is Melochia tomentosa, commonly known as teabush or pyramid bush.

While many residential areas in Southwest Florida have soil comprised mostly of sand and landfill, my soil has a clay base. After working in compost to amend the soil, I planted my tea bush between two other plants, making certain to space it according to label directions.

I tended to its watering needs while the root system was getting established, all the while keeping in mind that my clay soil is much less porous and drains less readily than sandy soil. To date the Melochia t. has been doing well.

If you are in the market for a great attractor of diverse pollinators, including honey bees; native bees; butterflies, such as skippers; and other beneficial insects, the Florida native tea bush may fit the bill for you. Small, 5-petaled, delicate pink-purple inflorescences, or blooms, cover the bush from early spring to late fall, making for a stunning display. The foliage has a fuzzy appearance and bluish-green tint, which contrasts nicely with the green foliage of other plants in the landscape.

This perennial bush prefers full sun to part shade and does well in our Southwest Florida planting zone 10. Its pH range: slightly acidic-neutral-slightly alkaline. When I had a soil test done at the UF/IFAS Lee County Extension, results indicated that the soil on the east side of my home measures 7.1, which is well within the ideal range.

As with many other plants, Melochia t. does not appreciate “wet feet.” Therefore, care should be taken to avoid over-watering; otherwise, crown or root rot will more than likely develop. Because it is drought tolerant once established, consideration should be given to including the bush among other low irrigation vegetation. If sprinklers or soaker hoses are used in those areas for irrigation, you can scale back the frequency of application and amount of water flow, thereby preserving precious water resources.

A final thought: Sometimes the plant labeling you find in nurseries or big box stores can be misleading. In the case of the teabush, the label read 3-5 feet height and spread. I probably should have done an internet search to fact-check the label on the container while at the nursery, but I did not think to do so. Additional research in the aftermath of purchase indicated that the bush can actually grow to 10 feet without pruning. Therefore, my aim will be to keep the bush to a more manageable height and spread through periodic pruning. Lesson learned!

Happy gardening!

Janetta Fox is a Lee County Master Gardener volunteer and member of the Garden Club of Cape Coral.

Sources:

Conrad, J. (2014, Nov. 16). Teabush. Naturalist Newsletter.

Ryan, L. (2020, October). Falling in love with a new plant friend. The Dirt, issue 23, page 11. https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/media/sfylifasufledu/pinellas/lawn-and-garden/TheDirtOct2020.pdf