[Category 2] - melaleuca rhaphiophylla

[paul od]

This tree was collected in August 2010 from swampland south of Perth. When collected, it was 3 metres tall and it was reduced to 1.5 metres at a place where a small branch was growing. The thickness of the root system is only 50mm. By November 2010, all the lower branches had begun to grow and was further reduced to 750mm, the height it is now. In January 2011, the branches were wired and shaped and then in early March the wiring was removed. The tree will remain in this pot until spring this year when it will be re-potted into a smaller pot and any unwanted branches will be removed. The dead wood in the front of the tree is natural and will be carved and made a feature at a later date. The circumference at the base is 550mm; the centre of the tree is 330mm and the top is 300mm.