Melaleuca subulata facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Melaleuca subulata
M. subulata in San Francisco Botanical Garden
Scientific classification
Genus:	Melaleuca
Species:	subulata
Synonyms
Callistemon subulatus Cheel

Melaleuca subulata is a cool plant from the myrtle family called Myrtaceae. You can only find it growing naturally in southeastern Australia. This means it is endemic to that area. Some plant experts still use its old name, Callistemon subulatus. It's a small, bushy plant with tough bark and lots of leaves. It also has bright red flowers that bloom in summer.

What Does It Look Like?

Melaleuca subulata is a shrub that can grow about 1–2 m (3–7 ft) tall. It has bark that feels hard and stringy. Its leaves grow one after another along the stem. They are usually 18–50 mm (0.7–2 in) long and 1–3.1 mm (0.04–0.1 in) wide. The leaves are shaped like a cylinder or a small, pointed tool called a bradawl.

The flowers are a beautiful deep red color. They grow in spikes at the ends of the branches. These spikes are about 30–60 mm (1–2 in) across and 40–80 mm (2–3 in) long. Each spike can have 20 to 80 individual flowers! The branches keep growing even after the flowers bloom. Each flower has 2.5–5.2 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long petals that fall off as the flower gets older. There are also 16 to 27 stamens in each flower.

This plant usually blooms from November to May. After the flowers, small, woody fruits grow. These fruits are called capsules. They are about 3–5.1 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) wide.

How It Got Its Name

The plant Melaleuca subulata was given its current name in 2006. A botanist named Lyndley Craven changed its name in a science journal called Novon. Before that, it was known as Callistemon subulatus.

The first time Callistemon subulatus was officially described was in 1925. This was done by another botanist, Edwin Cheel. He wrote about it in a publication from the Linnean Society of New South Wales. The second part of its name, subulata, describes the shape of its leaves. It means "shaped like a subulate" or pointed tool.

Today, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew considers Callistemon subulatus to be the same plant as Melaleuca subulata.

Where It Grows

This type of melaleuca plant is found in New South Wales and Victoria, Australia. You can see it growing in areas like Heathcote and Mittagong in New South Wales. It also grows in East Gippsland in Victoria. It likes to grow in wet places, such as in creek beds and along the banks of streams in forests.

Growing This Plant

Many people like to grow Melaleuca subulata in their gardens. This is because it has so many beautiful flowers. It's a tough plant that can handle different conditions. However, it grows best if you give it a special plant food that doesn't have much phosphorus.

Images for kids

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  M. subulata in the Australian National Botanic Gardens

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  M. subulata foliage