Jack Geer asks the type of plant Manuka Honey is produced from.
Manuka is the Maori name for Leptospermum scoparium, a member of the
Myrtaceae family. It is a low growing scrubby bush, growing generally
on low quality land on the coast or on the fringes of native forests or
as first growth on recently cleared land. It's first cousin is Kanuku
which is a taller variety with finer leaves and flowers. The honey from
both varieties is medium dark, and very thixotropic. Almost impossible
to extract without the right equipment and very easy to overheat.
Properly extracted the taste is rich and very pleasant. The flowers are
small and white in the wild varieties and pink and red in the cultured
garden varieties.
Interesting the number of words identical in both the Hawaiian and Maori
languages.
Do Rawnsley