[ID] Native I.D.

[Waltron]

Hi,
This tree is from my parents backyard in Melbourne's inner-city suberbs. It is about 6m tall and about 3m wide. Apparently in spring it is covered in whitish/yellow flowers (no pics sorry). It seems to kind of have a weeping characteristic. I've always liked this tree but have never been able to positively identify it, hopefully someone here may be able to help. I'm going to take some cuttings because I think it will make a nice bonsai, what are your thoughts?

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Thanks in advance.

[Jamie]

looking at the leaves i would think it is a eucalypt of some sort mate, there not exactly my speciality so thats bout all i could say with it mate? i dont think bottle brush get that flakey bark that is what is leading me to the euc.


jamie

[Waltron]

When I took these photo's a couple of weeks back I crushed some leaves but couldn't smell eucalyptus oil.
(I did have a blocked nose though)

[FlyBri]

Gday Waltron and Jamie!

I'm no expert, but I'd start by looking at the Melaleucas, perhaps M. viridifolia?

Good luck!

Fly.

[Waltron]

I've always thought it's a Melaleuca, but the leaves are so different to all the Melaleaca's I've seen.
The leaves of Melaleuca viridiflora don't match either.

Cheers.

[Jamie]

thats why i tend to lean to mel. waltron and fly the leaves are long for a mel. and it just screams gum to me

[Pup]

G,day Waltron white flowers would be more likely Mels Favorite M, quinquenervia,. M viridfolia has red pink and cream flowers. Unless the town council planted them, as the are from the far north.
M, nervosa also has a very similar leaf and the flower is the right colour, but again it is a far northern tree.
Then there is M, globifera it has the similar leaf again but the flower is more of a pom pom white, that one is from my fair state.
Then we have the weeping paperbark from northern Queensland NT, M, leucadendra, has all of the features you described.

I would be more inclined towards M, quinquenervia though. Cheers Pup

[EdwardH]

I'm not sure if it is a Melaleuca quinquenervia as their leaves are 70mm by 20mm, and have 5 distinct veins running down the length of the leaf (that's what the quinquenervia means - 5 nerves/veins). The flowers are a creamy white clour, usually in Autumn and about 50mm long. The picture doesn't show the veins so maybe it's one of the other varieties that Pup mentioned. You could always take a small branch when in flower to the local nursery to confirm.

[Joel]

Definitely not Euc Jamie. The fruit are in the wrong position. 'Gum nuts' grow on the end of branches, not on the sides.

Its either a Callistemon or a Melaleuca. I go with Melaleuca, but not quinquinerva (but that is the closest so far).

Joel

[bonscythe]

At first glance it looks to be definately in the Melaleuca/Callistemon (apparently they're considering merging them) genus. So I guess I would agree with the others..
I have one the same in the front yard, always assumed it was a Mel. quin. but now after Edwards post I have compared it's leaves to the definate Mel. quin out the back in a pot and it has those 5 veins through each leaf. So I guess now the one out the front is the same as yours Waltron..
As Edward says, without the 5 veins I reckon you could rule out Mel. quin.
Could it possibly be a Mel. linariifolia Pup...I can't find much info on it and you have the book of books!
Good luck..

[Joel]

Just remembered Callistemon salignus has papery bark. Google it and see if the description matches.

[bonscythe]

Thanks Joel, that looks pretty damn similar to the one I have, maybe it will match Waltron's too
This link was helpful -
http://www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/files ... lignus.pdf
Funny how close the bottle brush and Melaleucas can be. Wonder if they will ever bother merging them?
Cheers

[Pup]

My bad after looking at the leaves properly it is not Quinquenervia. The leucadendra and viridiflora will not stand heavy frosts, not knowing your area. That might rule them out. There are 3 other varieies of it though. M,viridiflora attenuata as for type but with hairless base to flowers M,V,canescens as for type but with a knarled habit and grey leaves with persintant flattened silky hairs.M,V,glabra as for type with smooth leaves and no hairs at base of flowers.

Melaleuca nervosa is another one that has two other varieties M,var latifolia as for type but differs by having broader obovate leaves.
This one is a posibilty as it is a weeping type, M,forma pendulina as for type but reaching tree proportions, having more papery bark the branches are pendulous both these varieties can have cream or red flowers.
This one was known as Callistemon nervosa.

I hope this helps more than my last post.

Cheers Pup

[Waltron]

Thanks Joel, that looks pretty damn similar to the one I have, maybe it will match Waltron's too
This link was helpful -
http://www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/files ... lignus.pdf
Funny how close the bottle brush and Melaleucas can be. Wonder if they will ever bother merging them?
Cheers

I should have added earlier that I saw the tree in mid summer and it was covered in bright maroon coloured new growth.
The description in that PDF matches the tree quite well. It's a pity there isn't some close up photo's. I think this might be it,
but I'll continue to research.

Thanks everyone for your time.

[Waltron]

AN UPDATE

Photos taken yesterday.

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This tree is awesome, the contrast between the hardened green old growth, the bright red new growth, the white flowers and the papery bark is spectacular.
These photo's don't do it justice but they are all I managed to take before my phone battery died.

Although this hasn't been formally identified, I am now almost certain it is Callistemon Salignus. Credit to Joel and thanks again for everyone else's help.