Widespread in dry rainforest

This small-medium tree has attractive narrow foliage and white papery bark. It is drought-resistant and quite hardy, although it can be affected by frost. An excellent garden and street tree to 12 m tall, with many cultivars. Mostly grows in low-lying river flats and damp creeks, rarely in dry areas; north from the Victorian-NSW border to about Bundaberg. A characteristic and widespread tree in remnant dry rainforest. Seed easy to collect, stays on the tree for a long time but often high up. Leaves narrow-elliptic, mostly 6-9 cm long, 5-14 mm wide, attenuate at both ends, apex acute; midrib, marginal and lateral veins distinct. New growth purplish pink. With ideal conditions will grow up to 1200 mm per year, and form an excellent weeping canopy within five years. Said to be prey to Saw Fly attack. Flower-spikes are generally white or greenish but pink, red and mauve forms can be found. The red cultivar is called Rubra. Hostplant for sapsucking bug Chionaspis candida.

A very large Melaleuca salicina in remnant scrub. A Gum Vine Aphanopetalum resinosum of considerable age is living on this tree, which has a girth of about one metre at the base. Photo: Robert Whyte

Bark. Photo: Robert Whyte

Flowers. Photo: Robert Whyte

Habit. This is a relatively small specimen compared to the giant shown above. The surrounding trees include Alphitonia, Grey Gum, Jagera, Brush Box, Guioia, Rapanea and Red Kamala. Photo: Robert Whyte

Seed collecting and propagation

Melaleuca salicina produces small, woody fruit capsules following its spring flowering. The capsules are typically 3.8–4.4 mm long and 4–5 mm in diameter. They are rounded to slightly barrel-shaped, clustered along the stems, and have a hard, brown to grey exterior as they mature. Each capsule contains numerous tiny seeds, which are released when the capsule splits open as it dries out. No treatment. Sow direct into tubes. Germination takes 5 to 25 days.