Melaleuca squamea

Melaleuca squamea, also known as the Squamous Cajeput, is a bush of coastal heathlands and marshes in Australia and Tasmania that adapts particularly well to climates that are mild in winter and not too dry in summer. Similar to callistemon, it is cultivated in the same way and produces curious flowers resembling small brushes, in a lovely pink shade with a hint of purple, beautifully dusted with pale-yellow pollen, scattered among its small grey-silver velvety leaves. Decorative in shrub borders, this Melaleuca also makes for an original orangery plant in colder regions.

Melaleuca squamea is a non-hardy austral plant, tolerating -7°C (19.4°F) at its lowest. The genus name Melaleuca is derived from the Greek words for black and white, characterising its dark bark at the trunk level, but white at the branch level. Its species name, squamea, meaning "squamous", refers to the parchment-like appearance of its branches. It belongs to the Myrtaceae family, just like its Australian cousins leptospermum, callistemon, and eucalyptus, and its Mediterranean relative, myrtle.

With fairly rapid growth, it forms a small bush with a tall upright habit of 1.5m (5ft) and a width of 1m (3ft). This bush with trailing branches bears small hairy, alternate, lanceolate, aromatic leaves, 5 to 12mm (1in) long and 2 to 5mm (1in) wide, arranged in opposite pairs. Their colour varies from blue-green to grey-green. The inflorescences are slightly scented, honey-bearing and nectar-bearing, and appear between February and April. The flowers are composed of long pink stamens, turning mauve and then very pale as they fade. They are grouped in spikes that take the form of small brushes, 2cm (1in) long. They produce woody capsules, embedded in the bark, containing seeds that will take one to two years to mature. This bush can be lightly pruned after flowering to encourage branching.

Melaleuca squamea adapts to many conditions, as long as the soil it is planted in is well-drained and kept moist throughout the growing season. It tolerates salt spray well, making it a beautiful shrub for seaside gardens. It is cultivated and used like callistemons. It can be planted as a specimen or in mass plantings, paired with Grevillea and Leptospermum. It can also be used in the creation of a low, evergreen hedge alongside myrtle, evergreen ceanothus, large cistus (Cistus laurifolius, Cistus x aguilari), feijoa, cape leadwort, and mimosa. In a region with very cold winters, the plant can be grown in a pot to adorn a terrace throughout the warm season.