The other tea tree

WITH THEIR PAPERY BARK AND NECTAR-RICH BOTTLEBRUSH FLOWERS, SWAMP-DWELLING MELALEUCAS ARE ICONICALLY AUSTRALIAN

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Melaleuca is a diverse genus in the Myrtaceae or myrtle family comprising some of Australia’s most recognisable plants, commonly known as paperbarks and tea trees. The common name “tea tree” refers to Melaleuca alternifolia and the well-known tea-tree essential oil is extracted from the foliage of this species. (As discussed in the last issue of Good Organic Gardening, “tea tree” is also applied to plants in the Leptospermum genus.) Almost all of the 200 species of Melaleuca are endemic to Australia and they range in size from low shrubs to tall trees. They occur in a number of different soil types and climates, from sandy soils in Western Australia to the estuaries of eastern Australia. Often they are found growing near swampy areas or watercourses, while some species can withstand both wet and dry…

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Good Organic Gardening (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue #14.5

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