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MELALEUCA alternifolia
Narrow-leaved paperbark or Oil Tea Tree
Family: Myrtaceae
Subfamily: Myrtoideae
Characteristics: Tree to 6 m spread 4 m
Seed per packet: Tiny seed, hunderds.
Seed per gram: Tiny seed, thousands per gram.
Melaleuca alternifolia is notable for its essential oil which is both anti-fungal and antibiotic and is marketed as Tea Tree Oil.
An attractive small tree with a papery barked trunk that peels in stirps that produces a spectacular displays of white flowers that occur in dense terminal heads from spring to early summer.
Endemic to New South Wales and Queensland.
Prefers a heavy moist soil in a protected partially shaded position, drought and frost resistant.
In 1767, Carl Linnaeus was the first one to use the name Melaleuca, which we still call it today. This name also refers to the Baeckea, Kunzea, and Leptospermum species.
In 1770, during Captain James Cook's maiden voyage to Australia, sailors used the leaves from these different shrubs as an alternative for tea.
Melaleuca radula was first formally described in 1839 by John Lindley in an appendix to Edwards Botanical Register entitled A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony
Propagation is easy from seed.
Melaleuca seed is generally best sown in spring or autumn avoid the coldest and hottest months of the year.
If growing in containers:
Sow on surface of the growing mix.
- Press lightly into surface. Do not bury the seed.
- Water with a mist spray to avoid dislodging the seed.
- Place the container in warm shaded or semi-shaded position
- Keep warm & moist, avoid drying out or waterlogging the growing mix.
- Transplant seedlings into well-drained soil in a sunny position once they large enough to handle.
Germination generally occurs in around 14-28 days at 18-22°C
Sow directly for re-vegetation projects.
* Please note:
- Please do not be too hasty to discard seeds that do not germinate; seeds will often lie dormant until the conditions are like their natural germination requirements.
- As with all seeds, they must have adequate water to germinate, keep them moist, but not too wet.
- These growth notes are provided as guidance only and do not guarantee successful germination.
- The customer should do their due diligence to ensure they are suited to their region.
Importing to Tasmania Prohibited