Lemon myrtle
Backhousia citriodora, Fam. Myrtaceae
Low, spreading to medium sized tree, often with pendulous foliage and rough grey to black bark.
| Weed Category: | |
| Weed: | No |
| Form or habit: | Small tree, Med tree |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Leaf: | Simple, opposite, entire or crenulate, ovate to narrowly elliptic and drawn out to a blunt point, 4-15 x 1-5cm, pubescent when young but becoming glabrous. Lateral veins straight, parallel to one another, crowded and particularly conspicuous on undersurface. Small oil dots scattered over the leaf with larger dots occurring between the margin of the leaf and the intramarginal vein. Crushed leaves are strongly lemon scented even when dry. |
| Flower conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Flower colour: |
White |
| Flower description: | Short, dense panicles of umbels or single umbels in upper leaf axils. White flowers with numerous stamens. October to June. |
| Fruit conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Fruit colour: |
Brown |
| Fruit: | |
| Fruit description: | Brown, small, dry, indehiscent capsules with five persistent sepals. February to May. |
| Habitat: | Gallery (riverine or riparian) forest, rainforest. |
| Distribution | Queensland. |
| Food source for: | |
| Toxicity: | No toxicity known |
| Origin: | Australia. |
| Notes: | The leaves are the best known source of high quality citral. Dried leaves make pleasant smelling perfume sachets. Grow from fresh seed or tip cuttings. |
| Information sources: | Melzer R. & Plumb J. (2007) Plants of Capricornia. |
