Herb: Cape Barren Tea


Latin name: Correa alba


Family: Rutaceae (Rue Family, Citrus Family)



Edible parts of Cape Barren Tea:

The leaves can be used as a tea substitute. They are pleasantly aromatic with a sweetish flavour.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
150 cm
(5 feet)

Flowering:
April
to June

Habitat of the herb:

Sandy and rocky habitats by the coast.

Propagation of Cape Barren Tea:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse. Fresh seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 20°C. Stored seed can be difficult to germinate, leaching with water can help, or perhaps a short burst of fire will initiate germination. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a shaded frame. Cuttings are generally quite easy to root.

Cultivation of the herb:

Sandy and rocky habitats by the coast.

Medicinal use of Cape Barren Tea:

None known

Known hazards of Correa alba:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.