Blue leaf paperbark
Melaleuca dealbata, Fam. Myrtaceae
Tall tree that can grow to around 25m. Attractive weeping canopy with a bluish grey appearance and whitish, thick, layered paperbark. From the Latin ‘dealbatus’ white washed, referring to the colour of the foliage.
| Weed Category: | |
| Weed: | No |
| Form or habit: | Large Tree |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Leaf: | Simple, alternate, entire, elliptic to obovate, 5-12 x 1-3.2cm, glaucous. Felted appearance when young because of dense crisped hairs, becoming glabrous with age. Five to seven prominent longitudinal veins. |
| Flower conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Flower colour: |
White |
| Flower description: | Very open spikes of white flowers, up to 13cm long, densely tomentose rachis. July to January, but predominantly spring. |
| Fruit conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Fruit colour: |
Brown |
| Fruit: | |
| Fruit description: | Brown, woody, cup shaped caspsules, 3-4mm in diameter, embedded in enlarged hypanthium. |
| Habitat: | Coastal dune. |
| Distribution | Queensland, Northern Territory, New Guinea, Malesia. |
| Food source for: | Nectar eaten by the varied lorikeet, helmeted, little and silver crowned friarbirds and the banded, blue faced, bar breasted, brown, brown backed, dusky, graceful, red headed, rufous banded, rufous throated, varied, white gaped and white throated honeyeaters. |
| Toxicity: | No toxicity known |
| Origin: | Australia, New Guinea, Malesia. |
| Notes: | Grow from seed. The wood was favoured by Aborigines because of its strength and resistance to rot. |
| Information sources: | Melzer R. & Plumb J. (2007) Plants of Capricornia. |
