Care Guide | Florida Teabush
Florida Teabush is a Florida native with soft, velvety, silvery-green leaves and beautiful lavender-pink flowers. Its flowers are a magnet for small butterflies, hummingbirds, bees, and wasps, making it a fantastic addition to an edible landscape or pollinator garden. And, of course, the leaves aren't just pretty! Florida Teabush leaves can be used to make a soft, floral tea.
Characteristics
Florida Teabush (Melochia tomentosa) is an upright, drought-tolerant shrub with velvety-soft, silvery-green leaves and lavender-pink flowers.
Overview
🏷️ Scientific Name: Melochia tomentosa
📊 Classification: Shrub
📍 Origin: Florida native
🗺️ USDA Hardiness Zones: 8–11
📏 Height Potential: 8–10 feet tall and wide
🏡 Planting: Outdoors or indoors for tea growing
☀️ Light: Full to part sun
💧 Watering: Medium moisture; drought-tolerant once established
🍴 Fertilizer: 1-1-1; light feeder
🦋 Uses: Tea, attract pollinators
🐈 Pet Friendly: Yes
Scientific Name
The scientific name for Florida Teabush is Melochia tomentosa.
Classification
Florida Teabush is a drought-tolerant shrub known for its velvety-soft, silvery-green foliage and lavender-pink flowers.
Origin
Florida Teabush is a Florida native. Its native status makes it a natural choice for Florida gardens, especially for gardeners looking to add native plants to their landscape.
USDA Hardiness Zones
Florida Teabush grows in USDA Zones 8–11. It should be protected from frost and freezing temperatures. Learn more in our overwintering guide.
Height Potential
Florida Teabush can reach approximately 8–10 feet tall and wide at maturity.
Light
Florida Teabush grows in full to part sun.
Soil/Watering
Florida Teabush prefers well-drained, medium-moist soil. It is also drought-tolerant once established.
Fertilizer
Florida Teabush is a light feeder. The recommended ratio is 1-1-1, and it should be fed only occasionally.
Uses
The soft, silvery-green leaves of Florida Teabush can be used to make a soft, floral tea. Florida Teabush also produces beautiful lavender-pink flowers. These flowers are a magnet for small butterflies, hummingbirds, bees, and wasps. In warm climates, Florida Teabush can bloom all year long.
Pet Friendly?
Florida Teabush is considered pet friendly.
After Arrival Care
Please give your plant a little TLC after its journey through the mail 📬. Here are a few steps we recommend:
- Unwrap immediately to provide fresh air to the plant and soil.
- Wait a few days before exposing to full sunlight so your plant can adjust after being in a dark box for several days.
- Always protect from heat and cold because temperature extremes can be stressful or deadly for plants.
- Water. Your baby plant may be parched and even a little wilted but thorough hydration will help it recover.
- Grow out in a larger pot to increase your chances of success—i.e., a quarter gallon—Then transplant to the ground or the next pot size up once the roots fill to the bottom. This will help the plant get sufficient water and nutrients directly to the roots.
Learn more in our After Arrival Care Guide.
Repotting
We highly recommend growing your baby plant out in a larger pot 🪴 to increase your chances of success 🏆. Repotting helps focus the water and nutrients directly towards the roots. If the pot is too large or if your baby is planted in the ground, the water and nutrients have more room to spread to the wrong places where they aren’t needed. This can be extra detrimental to a baby plant that needs all the support it can get as it’s growing up.
You don’t have to repot immediately, but the sooner you do, the more room it has to grow.
Here are some general repotting tips:
- Start with a pot that's 1-2 inches larger in diameter than the starter-sized pot it came in. A pint or quart would be great.
- Transplant to the next pot size up once the roots fill to the bottom.
Learn more in our Repotting Guide.
Grow Your Own Teas
Start or continue growing your own homegrown tea collection with Wellspring Gardens. Want something to sip on while you wait for your own tea to grow? Try our carefully-curated collection of unique, ready-to-drink, dry teas.
Happy planting! 🪴