A Healthy Melaleuca

We were thrilled to have a great flower show this year on the most winter hardy honey myrtle we grow, Melaleuca ‘Wetland’s Challenged Mutant’. This introduction from Desert Northwest, is either a selection of Melaleuca paludicola, or a hybrid with that species. Most of the other “hardy” melaleucas (formerly, Callistemon) died to the ground this year, but this clone of the alpine honey-myrtle from Southeastern Australia didn’t even suffer burned foliage, and flowers buds were obviously fine. Our 11 year old plant is 7′ tall, and has endured two single digit winter temps; 7F, and 9F. Hardiness Zone 7b-10b.

Melaleuca ‘Wetland’s Challenged Mutant’

3 thoughts on “A Healthy Melaleuca”

  1. Hi Folks at PDN,
    Question: Is Melaluca paludicola anything like M quinquenervia? because Florida is spending huge amounts of money to control M. quinquenervia. It is fire prone and it is estimated that a single tree can produce 200 million seeds/year. ” It can grow in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats and has been especially devastating in the Everglades where it has taken over hundreds of thousands of acres altering water flow, displacing native plant species, and reducing habitat and food sources for wildlife. ” according to UFL.
    Is M pelaudicola sterile I hope?
    https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/melaleuca-quinquenervia/

    1. Great question. No, they are quite different, but the negative connotation is why many taxonomists refuse to use the name melaleuca, when these plants were transferred from the genus Callistemon. There are 300 species of Melaleuca, and only 1 of the 300 is problematic. This is why people need to be so careful when making assumptions at both the genus and even species level.

  2. Aahh, I knew you folks would have done your homework before bringing the plant home to a new environment! Keep up the good work! I look forward to more interesting PDN introductions in the years to come.
    Deb

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