Meaning & History
A New Zealand name for the flowering shrub/tree whose scientific name is Leptospermum scoparium, famous for the strong honey produced from its blossoms. The tree gets its name from Maori tradition, because Manuka was the name of one of the great ocean-going canoes which brought the Maoris to New Zealand. An area of the Australian city of Canberra is called Manuka after the trees, but this is pronounced with the second pronunciation.