Wednesday, October 29, 2014

#13) Melaleuca incana

While studying for our weekly shrub quiz, I came across this image of Melaleuca incana (left) and what looks to be Dicksia (right), shown here at Alsip Home and Nursery. Similar to Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca Pendula' with Aloe, I love the pairing of a woodsy, fine textured plant with a broad leaf desert plant. Here, Australia meets Brazil in a combination that may be geographically illogical but, in terms of form, texture and color, they make perfect sense. Also, both require little water and full sun, suiting our California climate perfectly. 

Melaleuca incana can get quite large (10-12' high and wide), and has pale yellow flowers (above image, top left). Another interesting pairing could be with Chamaerops humilis (Mediterranean Fan Palm), with its gray-green foliage and broad leaves. Melaleuca incana is available at Devil Mountain Nursery.

Details:
Biological Name: Melaleuca incana
Common Name: Gray Honey-myrtle
Family: Myrtaceae (Myrtles)
Origin: Australia (Australasia)
Exposure: Full Sun
Irrigation: Low Water Needs
Flower Time: Spring/Summer
Height: 6-10’
Width: 6-12’

No comments:

Post a Comment