Scented paperbark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Scented paperbark |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| M. squarrosa at Langwarrin, Victoria | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Melaleuca
|
| Species: |
squarrosa
|
The Scented Paperbark (Melaleuca squarrosa) is a beautiful plant that belongs to the myrtle family. It grows naturally only in the southeastern parts of Australia, especially in Tasmania. This attractive shrub has lots of leaves and branches that arch gracefully. It produces many sweet-smelling yellow to white flowers in spring or early summer.
Contents
What Does Scented Paperbark Look Like?
The Scented Paperbark is usually a shrub, but it can sometimes grow into a small tree. It can reach a height of about 0.5 to 10 meters (1.6 to 33 feet). It has white or grey bark that feels like paper.
Its leaves are arranged in a special way: they grow in opposite pairs, so they look like they are in four neat rows along the stems. These leaves are about 5 to 16.2 millimeters (0.2 to 0.6 inches) long and 2.5 to 8.2 millimeters (0.1 to 0.3 inches) wide. They are flat and shaped like a narrow egg, tapering to a point. Each leaf has between 5 and 7 clear veins.
The flowers are creamy white and grow in spikes at the ends of the branches. Even after the flowers bloom, the branches keep growing! Each flower spike has 4 to 20 individual flowers. A spike can be up to 22 millimeters (0.9 inches) wide and 40 millimeters (1.6 inches) long. The petals are small, about 2 to 2.7 millimeters (0.08 to 0.11 inches) long, and they fall off as the flower gets older.
Around each flower, there are five groups of stamens (the parts that make pollen), with 6 to 12 stamens in each group. Scented Paperbark usually flowers in spring or early summer. After flowering, it produces small, woody, cup-shaped or round fruits called capsules, which are about 2.7 to 3.5 millimeters (0.11 to 0.14 inches) long.
How Did It Get Its Name?
The scientific name for Scented Paperbark, Melaleuca squarrosa, was first officially described in 1802 by a scientist named James Edward Smith. He wrote about it in a scientific paper.
Smith thanked another person, James Donn, for helping him. Donn had grown this shrub in the Botanic Garden of the University from seeds that came from a place called Port Jackson (which is near Sydney). The plant first flowered in 1799.
The second part of the plant's name, squarrosa, is a Latin word. It means "rough with stiff bracts, leaves or scales," which describes how some parts of the plant look.
Where Does It Grow?
You can find Scented Paperbark growing widely across the west, north-east, and far north-west of Tasmania, especially in wet, swampy areas.
On the mainland of Australia, it grows in areas near Sydney, south through Victoria, and into the far south-east of South Australia. It likes to grow in heath (a type of shrubland) and dry sclerophyll forests. It prefers damp spots in coastal areas and nearby mountain ranges.
Why Do People Plant It?
The Scented Paperbark is a useful plant for gardens. People often plant it to create a screen or hedge because it has neat, dense leaves. Its attractive, sweet-smelling flowers also make it a popular choice for planting.
