Melaleuca thymifolia
| Melaleuca thymifolia | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 9 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-7.3 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 3' |
| Blooms: | Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Melaleuca thymifolia
Propagation: Seed - surface sow in spring or autumn onto a pot of permanently moist soil in a warm greenhouse. Emmerse in 5cm of water and do not water from overhead. Grow on until the seedlings are 0.5cm tall then remove from the water and pot up a week later. Seedlings are liable to damp off when grown this way, sowing the seed thinly, good ventilation and hygiene are essential for success[1]. Grow the plants on for at least their first winter in a greenhouse and then plant them out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Consider giving the plants some protection from the cold for their first few winters outdoors.
Cuttings of half-ripe lateral shoots with a heel, July/August in a frame[1].
Cultivation: Requires a fertile, well-drained moisture retentive lime-free soil in full sun[2]. Prefers a soil that does not contain much nitrogen[3]. Plants in Australian gardens succeed in a sunny position in most soils so long as they are moist[4].
This species is not very hardy in Britain, though it should succeed outdoors in the mildest areas of the country. Plants tolerate temperatures down to at least -7°c in Australian gardens[4] but this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer, colder and wetter winters. One report says that it can tolerate occasional lows to about -5°c[5].
Seed takes about 12 months to develop on the plant, the woody seed capsules persist for 3 or more years[1].
Any pruning is best done after the plants have flowered with the intention of maintaining a compact habit[1].
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[1].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[1].
Range: Australia - New South Wales, Queensland.
Habitat: Damp heathy places and open scrub[4][5].
Medicinal: An essential oil obtained from the fresh leaves and twigs is antiseptic[6].
Usage: An essential oil obtained from the leaves is comparable to the better Eucalyptus oils[6].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: M. coronata.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.
- ↑ Brickell, Christopher. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 1990.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Wrigley, John and Murray Fagg. Australian Native Plants. Collins, 1988.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2. Pan Books, London, 1998.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Cribb, Alan. Useful Wild Plants in Australia. William Collins, 1981.